


Fresh Meat: Confinement

by PromisedAngel



Series: Fresh Meat [2]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Predatortale, Angst, Angst and Tragedy, Blood, Blood and Gore, Body Horror, Broken Bones, Cannibalism, Child Abuse, Confinement, Eaten alive, Gaslighting, Gen, Grimdark, Hair-pulling, Hallucinations, Hurt/Comfort, Imprisonment, Mild Language, Night Terrors, Non-Consensual Hugging, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Predatortale, Predatortale AU, Psychological Torture, Side Story, Strangulation, Torture, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-27
Updated: 2019-08-28
Packaged: 2019-10-17 21:46:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 24
Words: 78,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17568515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PromisedAngel/pseuds/PromisedAngel
Summary: Side Story of the Fresh Meat series. Spoilers for main Fresh Meat story. Handplates inspired. Chara has been taken from the Dreemurrs and secured deep within Gaster's lab. With Chara finally within his grasp, he will use any means necessary to save monsterkind from extinction. Just short of killing them.





	1. Divergence

**Author's Note:**

> This story diverts from the main story in Chapter 36- Turmoil. Please read up to the first part of said chapter in that story before reading this one. Please keep an eye on the tags as this story updates, as certain tags will not be added until the chapter that contains them is posted. I have a backlog of 13 chapters, which I will post about 2-3 per week until caught up. Then the story will update once every fortnight, same as all platforms that I host my stories.
> 
> For those who can stand the darkness, enjoy.

Chara peeked out of their and Asriel’s bedroom to assess the situation. Asriel stood near the doorway to the Dreemurr home by the staircase. The door was splintered and shattered across the entryway and the staircase. Asriel vigorously chucked baubles of fire out the door towards the encroaching monster populous. Thrashes, gnaws, fire, clangs, and battle cries rang just outside the door out of Chara’s view. Asriel’s gaze constantly shifted between the staircase and the doorway, his expression stressed. He gritted his teeth and sweat beaded heavily in his fur. Chara knew he, Toriel, and Asgore all fought to protect them from the monster populous. Chara gritted their teeth, even though Asriel begged them to stay in their shared room, Chara could wait no longer. Despite their partially groggy state, they had to help somehow. They knew where the knives were, after all.

Chara flung the door open and dashed. They wove through Asriel’s fire and the splintered door. Asriel gasped, distracted from the battle. Their flames in their hands died and they cried out in confusion, “Chara?!”  
Chara continued past as they ignored Asriel’s confused cry. They ran into the kitchen with a small skid. They had to take a moment to regain their balance. They heard something crash into the wood in the entryway. They heard Toriel gasp and cry out, “Asriel!”  
Chara gritted their teeth. They had to hurry. They climbed the countertops with some trouble. They began to hear fire roar to life out in the living room and loud footsteps. The fire whizzed and hit something. A screech echoed and faded; another monster dissipated to dust.  
Chara quickly reached up for the knives and grabbed the nearest one. It was much thinner and a little smaller than the one they had become accustomed to, but they brandished the knife before they gave it a swing in front of them. They smirked. This would do.

Chara carefully climbed down from the counter. They stood against the wall opposite the counter and inched carefully toward the entranceway. They brandished their knife close to the entryway and steeled themselves with a breath. They peaked out into the living room. They noticed three figures in the room. The first was Toriel. The two others they did not know. One was a white-furred cat monster and the other was an enlarged froggit. The froggit was closest to the door. Toriel stood near the center of the room. The cat-monster was perched on the dining table and had knocked over the vase of flowers in the center.

The cat monster was quick to notice Chara. Its eyes locked onto Chara. It bared its fangs as drool pooled in the corners of its mouth. The second the cat monster recognized Chara, it pounced. It’s claws and fangs ready for the kill. Chara stood their ground in the kitchen entryway. They readied themselves to block or at least parry the monster’s attack. Before the cat could even land, however, a large torrent of fire was hurled into the monster. It landed on the far wall with a thud. It groaned in pain and fell over onto the floor. It dispersed into dust in a matter of seconds. Chara turned their gaze to see that the fire came from Toriel. Toriel huffed, proud of her work, before she began to turn towards the froggit.

The froggit was quick to notice the commotion and by extension Chara. Like the cat monster before it, the froggit’s gaze quickly locked onto Chara’s form. The froggit also acted as quickly. A long tongue launched from its mouth. It reached and landed onto Chara’s sweater in fractions of a second. Chara had no time to scream as the tongue stuck heavily to the sweater and pulled them in equally as quick. Chara, unprepared for this, dropped their knife as the froggit’s tongue snapped back into its mouth with Chara in tow. All in the matter of a few short seconds. The mouth closed. Its eyes pressed deep into its head as the froggit swallowed Chara; alive, whole, and weaponless.  
Toriel’s eyes widened in panic. She cried out desperately, “Chara! No!”  
The froggit turned to leave. Toriel’s expression dropped from worry to rage. She quickly sent fireball after fireball towards the froggit, but the froggit continued on despite the burns. It passed Asriel, whom also tried to stop it, but was knocked aside by a kick from the froggit. Toriel’s anger faded as the froggit approached the doorway. Tears began to bud from her eyes. She cried out desperately to those beyond the door, “Guards! That froggit must not leave!”  
The froggit barely fit through the doorway. Five monsters of a wide variety fought outside the door in the ‘yard’ area. Three of them were dressed in armor of the Royal Guard. The three turned to fight the froggit. The froggit did not appear phased. It simply readied its legs and hopped over all the monsters in the ‘yard’. All the monsters in the yard paused in shock and saw the froggit jump over. Most were confused. Tears began to stream from Toriel’s eyes. From the doorway, she shrieked, “CHARA!!”  
The froggit landed with ease and began to hop away from the ‘yard’ onto the Royal Way. It was only a few short hops until the froggit could overlook the city of New Home. It turned toward the city and readied itself once more. It took a large leap into the city below. It landed safely, with some discomfort, on a stone building below. The froggit paused at its discomfort for only a moment. It kept with its great leaps from rooftop to rooftop with great haste. It soon jumped to the streets below near the other entrance to the castle; one more accessible to the public. However, this area, along with the base of the Royal Guard in New Home, seemed closed off. Every entrance was guarded by a member of the Royal Guard. Though monsters have given up their chance to get through, the guards were still on high alert.

The guard at this entrance was surprised to see the large froggit approach. They did not falter, however. They steeled themselves and called to the froggit as it approached, “The Royal Guard is currently dealing with the situation! Go back to your home!”  
The froggit stopped just out of the range of the guard’s weapon. The froggit paused for a second before it hunched over. The guard growled, “Stay back! We don’t want to-“  
The froggit emitted a noise, one that sickened the guard. One of heaving before vomiting. The guard covered their mouth, “What the- eww- please don’t barf. I can’t handle that-“  
The froggit gave its final heave, and with it, their latest catch poured out with a small pool of spit and other digestive fluids. Chara landed on the ground face first, unconscious and unresponsive. The guard cringed and looked away from the slurry for a moment to gather themselves. They did not notice Chara at first. They instead complained, “Oh- oh I’m going to be sick….”  
The guard forced themselves to hold back a heave of their own. They hesitated to look back at the slurry. They opened one eye to fall upon the sight. They gasped, “What the?-“  
The guard approached the slurry carefully. Their metal boots squished into it. They shivered and held another gag but pressed onwards. They reached their free hand towards Chara and held them by their hair. The guard narrowed their eyes before they shot open in realization. The guard exclaimed loudly, “OH SHIT, IS THAT WHAT I THINK IT IS?!”  
The guard stumbled backwards. They let go of their weapon and Chara’s head. Both landed in the slurry. A nearby guard, startled by the noise, ran over soon after. They questioned the first guard, “What the hell is going on here?“  
The first guard turned and exclaimed, “Th-this froggit! They somehow got the human away from those traitors!”  
The second guard also dropped their weapon without a second thought. They ran into the slurry and kneeled down next to Chara. They pressed two fingers to Chara’s neck, “It’s still alive…”  
The second guard scooped Chara out of the slurry and turned them on their back. The second guard lowered their head towards Chara’s mouth and stayed there. The first guard raised an eyebrow, “What the fuck are you doing?”  
The second guard raised their head and growled, “Checking if the human’s breathing! Which it’s not! I’ll resituate it, you go get Dr. Gaster, now!”  
The first guard turned and ran quickly. They sounded of a nervous, “R-right!” before they ran off. The first guard ran off towards one of the nearby buildings. They ran inside all the while they dodged their colleagues through the halls. The monster came across a door and slammed it open without a second thought. Inside the room were two figures; the current captain of the Royal Guard and Dr. Gaster. The two stood at each end of a table with a map of the castle and some figures set on the map. A large ‘X’ was put on the image of Asriel and Chara’s shared room.

The two of them immediately looked towards the open door. Before either of them could say a thing, the first guard exclaimed, “S-sir- Dr. Gaster! You have to see this!”  
Gaster narrowed his eye sockets, his left socket already narrow from the damage Chara caused. He spoke, his anger clearly there but contained, “I am busy, as you can clearly-“  
The first guard interrupted, “It’s the human!”  
Gaster’s eye sockets widened. The first guard continued, “Some froggit got the human away from the Dreemurrs! It’s here!”  
Gaster’s expression dropped to a serious gaze. He firmly ordered, “Where is it?! Show me! Now!”  
The first guard beckoned, “Th-this way! By the west entrance!”  
The first guard ran off, Gaster followed at a quick pace out of the building. The guard led him back to their post, where the second guard stood with Chara in its arms and the froggit still there. It seemed to have gotten smaller as time went on.

Gaster approached the second guard. The second guard spoke calmly, “Don’t worry, sir, it’s just unconscious. Though… it wasn’t breathing when it first got here.”  
Gaster brushed some of Chara’s hair out of their face. This was certainly the human. They were alive. Yet, the memories of the struggles caused by Chara bubbled to the forefront of Gaster’s mind. His eyes lingered on Chara’s neck and Gaster’s hand clenched for a moment. Gaster sighed in relief and relaxed. His eye sockets scanned the two guards and the froggit. He spoke calmly, “How did this happen?”  
His gaze turned to the froggit, “How could you possibly have gotten the human away from the Dreemurrs?”  
The froggit ribbited and stuck out its tongue for a brief moment. The first guard affirmed with some disgust in their tone, “Yeah… I think it ate the human and ran. This froggit came up to me and barfed the human up.”  
Gaster gave a light scowl towards the froggit. His tone darkened slightly, “Ribbit how many minutes the human was in your stomach.”  
The froggit began to ribbit once more. Once. Twice. Thrice. A fourth. Finally, a fifth and no more. Gaster’s eyes widened. He shouted, “Five minutes?! Humans often die after six minutes without air!”  
The froggit curled inwards and looked away from Gaster. Gaster simmered down slightly but kept his glare and a firm tone toward the froggit, “If you had been stopped for even a minute by the Dreemurrs and those traitors who stay with them, the human would have died in your stomach! Yes, the idea worked, but it was an idiotic plan!”  
The froggit let out a small ribbit in a sort of chastised tone. An apology. Gaster sighed, his rage quelled. He sighed, “But, I thank you for bringing the human to me at the very least. You could have been selfish and made the human your first meal in centuries, but you didn’t. Due to your recklessness, I do not know if I can give you an award, but I will ensure that monsterkind knows that your effort helped save us from the brink of extinction.”  
The froggit perked up and croaked happily. Gaster turned to the two guards, “Both of you clean yourselves up. Afterwards, find someone who can understand Froggit so that their take on the encounter is promptly recorded. I will take the human to the safety of my lab. My assis-“

Gaster paused. He grimaced lightly. He knew Sans would be a poor choice to bring the human to. Gaster had to pick someone else. But who? He wracked his skull for a moment before an idea flashed in his mind. That newer intern Alphys should do.  
The first guard perked up, “I’m sorry-Your what now?”  
Gaster spoke calmly, “My apologies. I meant to say one of my newer assistants will care for the human while we finish here.”  
Gaster smirked, “The Dreemurrs lost the very thing they sought to horde from us. Their lowered morale should make it easier for us to imprison them.”  
Gaster turned back to the second guard. His gaze focused on Chara. His eyes glowed with magic, his blue burned brighter than his orange. Chara’s unconscious body lifted from the second guard’s arms to Gaster’s side, slumped over in their unconscious but stable state. Gaster saw the guards and the froggit go inside the building without another word. Gaster found an alleyway and teleported away with Chara in tow.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alphys deeply sighed in relief, “Finally!”  
A stack of paperwork lay on her desk. All of it filled and sorted according to her boss’s standards. She stretched her arms, legs, and tail. She cracked a smile and hopped off her chair, “Time to turn this in!”  
She giggled mischievously, “Then I can watch the new episode of Mew Mew Kissy Cutie I found!”  
She chuckled to herself a little more as she gathered the papers together. She began to walk the halls of the lab to an area with many file cabinets, two racks each labeled ‘to do’ and ‘completed’, and a couple of desks. Alphys hummed as she put her papers on the ‘completed’ rack. She turned and went into the hallway. In the distance, she heard someone call her name down the hall, “ALPHYS!”  
Alphys nearly jumped. She was silently thankful she no longer had the papers in her hands. One of her fellow interns ran down the hall and paused in front of her. He panted heavily and caught his breath. Alphys gave a nervous laugh, “Um… hi… what’s going on-“  
The monster exclaimed, “Dr. Gaster’s looking for you! It’s urgent! He’s in his office and has the human with him, too!”  
Alphys blinked in surprise. She stood stiffly, rigidly. She stammered, “Th-The h-human?! What does- I don’t-“  
The monster interrupted coyly, “You don’t want to keep the boss waiting, do you?”  
Alphys’s eyes widened in a panic, “N-no!”

She dashed off without another word. She made her way through the corridors of the lab until she came across Dr. Gaster’s office. She skidded to a halt in front of the door. She flailed her arms to regain her balance in front of the door. She paused to catch her breath. Her eyes locked onto the door’s nameplate before they wandered to the door itself. She took a deep breath to steel herself before she knocked on the door. She called out, “Um… it’s Alphys, sir… you… wanted to see me?”  
She could clearly hear Gaster’s voice through the door, “Come in and lock the door behind you.”  
Alphys stiffened, “Yes, sir!”  
She hesitated but opened the door nonetheless. She noticed Gaster had sat down behind his desk and a figure floated behind him with the aid of his blue magic. Alphys gasped at the sight, the door wide open, “I-is that-“  
Gaster frowned and cut her off bluntly, “Close the door, Alphys.”  
Alphys quickly entered and closed the door behind her. She quickly turned the lock. She slowly turned back towards her boss sheepishly, “Umm… is the human… alive?”  
Gaster replied dryly with an unenthused glance towards Chara, “Barely. Its retrieval was... problematic to say the least.”  
Alphys sat down in the chair in front of Gaster’s desk as she spoke curiously, “What… happened?”  
Gaster leaned forward in his chair. He rested his elbows on his desk, “A civilian froggit decided to retrieve the human by eating it and vomiting it back up once it was away from the Dreemurrs.”  
Alphys’s eyes widened in shock. She covered her mouth. She eyes drifted towards the unconscious Chara, “Is it damaged- brain damaged, I mean.”  
Gaster leaned back slightly and turned his head towards Chara, “That is part of your new assignment.”  
Alphys blinked. A dumbfounded look dawned on her face, “Huh?”

Gaster looked back towards Alphys, “I am still wanted to aid in arresting the Dreemurrs. The captain of the Royal Guard themselves asked me to assist in any way I can. Therefore, I have decided to put you in charge of examining this human. I want a full examination; approximate age, biological sex - anything you can think of to aid in studying it or maintaining the human’s physical health, as I am also charging you with that.”  
Alphys stiffened and stumbled over her words, “Well… sir- I don’t- I mean… I’m not even… Sans is your assistant, why would-“  
Gaster interrupted Alphys with a frown, “I cannot trust Sans with a project such as this. His talents are useful elsewhere.”  
Alphys looked down and sighed, “I… I will need the books on human biology… I feel I should remind myself of a few things…”  
Gaster nodded, “Granted. They are in the lab’s library and quite easy to find. Keep them as long as you need.”

Gaster paused as he changed topics, “Do not forget to make meals for the human, as that will be part of your duties.”  
Alphys scratched her head, “I’m not that good at cooking… but I’ll do what I can.”  
Gaster’s eyes drifted back to Chara, “As long as it does not poison or kill the human, it will do.”  
Gaster floated Chara’s body beside Alphys before he lowered them down onto the floor in a sitting position. Chara’s body leaned on the chair. Alphys wrinkled her nose, “These clothes are covered in--- guh, I don’t what to know… What should I-“  
Gaster stood, “Whatever you think is best. Again, Alphys, I am charging you with _all_ of the human’s physical needs in addition to the examination. This will be your highest priority, and quite possibly your only assignment for a long while.”  
Alphys lowered her head and spoke quietly, “Yes, sir.”  
Gaster approached the door, “Good. I expect the report of the examination by the end of the week. I suggest you study those books as soon as possible.”  
Alphys jumped to her feet and stood stiffly, “Yes, sir!”  
Gaster turned the doorknob and paused his exit. He spoke firmly, “I would also suggest that anytime you do not examine the human, you lock them in one of the sleeping quarters under lock and key. When awake the human can be… temperamental to say the least.”

Gaster left the room and closed the door. Alphys crumpled back down in her chair with a sigh. She groaned and held her head, “Ooohh, what I am going to do?”  
She sat there for a moment. Her new assignment weighed heavy on her. Her boss’s tone was calm, but she knew in the back of her mind one mistake could bring dire consequences to her or the human.  
She paused. She looked over at Chara. Still unconscious and breathing. Alphys raised a brow, “But… you’re just a kid… are you really that dangerous?”

She thought about it for a moment. Her mind drifted back to the conversation she overheard between Gaster and the Dreemurrs. Queen Toriel’s words flashed in her mind, _Chara gave you that scar?_ And Gaster’s simple affirmation. Alphys sighed, “If that’s true… then I’m gonna need that gas… I hope I can find a some somewhere…”


	2. Exams and Refusal

Chara could barely move in the darkness around them. Anything they could hear was muffled around them. They struggled to find any hint of air. None could be found. They clutched their throat as it and their chest began to burn fiercely. A few tears streamed. Was this it? Was this how they were going to die? They curled in the already claustrophobic space. _I should have stayed in the room. I was a fool to try to help._  
A sense of calm overcame them. The burning sensation was still there, but it did not seem to matter. Chara relaxed their muscles. They closed their eyes. Despite their despair, the calm drifted them into unconsciousness.

Silence. Nothing but silence for a long while. Then a sudden pressure on their chest. Somehow, the burning was no more, but Chara found no strength to open their eyes. Even as they began to hear muddled voices, their body refused to work. In and out their consciousness faded until they could only hear one voice. It sounded faintly familiar, but they could not place it.

At long last, Chara groaned, and their eyes fluttered open. The only thing they could see was the room’s ceiling. A plain one. They went to move but found they could barely do so. Their eyes widened in panic. Their head was free to move and examine themselves. They were strapped to a familiar table; the one they were in before in Gaster’s lab. Their arms, legs, and chest were all strapped down, but not their head this time. Something else was different. They weren’t in their normal clothes. Instead, they wore a long, grey, simple cloth gown that ended at their knees. It was sleeveless, only thin tank-top-like straps held the gown up. Nothing else was on them. Not their sheath. Not even their locket.

Chara froze. The locket. Asriel. What happened? How long have they been unconscious? Their thoughts were disrupted by a nasally voice, “O-Oh! Y-you’re awake?!”  
Chara’s head sharply turned toward the source of the noise. The monster was familiar; one of the interns they saw working in The Core. The monster’s name rung in their mind; Alphys. Alphys sat at a desk to the side of the operating table. The books on human anatomy and biology were all open to various topics. Other papers were strewn about the desk with notes scattered on them.

Alphys shivered slightly. Chara’s gaze was sudden, and if her boss was correct, she had to be careful. She let out a nervous chuckle, “H-hello, there!... S-sorry for all the restraints, I was just-“  
Chara’s confused gaze dropped into a deep frown. They interrupted Alphys, “Where am I?”  
Alphys blinked in surprise. To her, Chara seemed unfazed by the restraints. Their gaze was extremely grave and serious. It sent a chill down her spine. She fully turned away from the desk and faced Chara. She twiddled with her fingers as she responds, “W-well, you’re not dead! I heard about what happened, I-I almost-“  
Chara’s frown dropped to slight annoyance and anger, “What. Happened?”  
Alphys jumped slightly at Chara’s tone. She replied in a nearly chastised tone, “A… a froggit ate you then spit you back up in a safe place.”  
Chara’s eyes widened in shock. At the sight of this, Alphys began to speak in panic, “D-Don’t worry! I cleaned you up, so you don’t have any of that bile on you or anything! You’re perfectly safe and stable now! You didn’t even get many minor burns from the stomach acid!”  
Chara’s eyes continued their widened glance. Chara almost couldn’t believe the explanation, yet they still lived. Their expression softened. They responded quietly, in a calmer tone, “How… how am I alive?... How am I not gravely injured?...”  
Alphys smiled at Chara’s calm demeanor. She became calm herself in response. She answered honestly, “To be honest… I’m not entirely sure. But... that’s… kind of why I’m here. I just need to examine you.”  
Alphys beamed, “After that, I’m sure Dr. Gaster will know just what to do!”

Chara’s expression for a brief moment returned to shock at the mention of Gaster. It quickly grew into a rage. Their tone descended and filled with venom, “You work for him.”  
Alphys’s beaming smile descended. She gulped and shook slightly. The thought of Gaster’s warning about Chara rang in her mind. This thought was interrupted by Chara. They began to pull against their restraints. Alphys’s voice wavered, “D-Don’t! You’ll hurt yourself badly far before you break those!”  
Chara grunted as they continued to struggle. They spat at Alphys, “I. Don’t. Care! I refuse to be his prisoner!”  
Alphys groaned before she turned her gaze to the base of the table, “I guess I really needed to use this after all…”

She kneeled down to the base of the table and grabbed a large canister with an air mask attached to it. She turned the valve of the canister a few turns until she heard a small hiss sound. She quickly put the air mask to Chara’s mouth and nose. Chara had their suspicions on what it was and cried out in alarm, “No!”  
They shook their head violently. Alphys struggled but soon was able to put the mask over Chara’s mouth and nose. Chara continued to struggle for a few moments before their movements slowed. Their cries began to quiet. Words faded from them as only breaths escaped them. They struggled to keep their eyes open. They relapsed back into unconsciousness without another sound. Their head slumped to the side.

Alphys sighed in relief. She turned the valve of the canister the other way until it moved no longer. The hissing of the canister stopped. She removed the mask and hooked it back on the canister. She moaned slightly, “Guess I should have taken his suggestion more seriously… she’s one fired up human…”  
Alphys made note of the quick event before she went back to the task at hand.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chara groaned as they came to consciousness once more. They felt slightly nauseous as they woke. They laid still in hopes the feeling would pass. Their eyes shot open as their memories came back to them. They had been captured. They’re in Gaster’s possession, most likely in his lab. They had to escape.

There was pitch darkness around Chara. They hesitated to sit up due to their nausea, but they found it quickly fade much to their relief. They swung their feet over to the side of the bed to the floor below. Upon their feet touching the floor, Chara pulled them back and curled their legs into their chest. The floor was cold stone, a far cry from the wood and carpeting of their home. They grunted to themselves; if they wanted to escape, they would have to suck it up.

Chara struggled to stand. Their feet stung slightly from disuse. They took a moment to regain their footing. They felt themselves in the darkness. Still in the grey gown and nothing else. They gritted their teeth. They would have to retrieve their locket in the process of their escape.

They were slow to walk around the room in the darkness. They could feel this room was a small one with most likely just the bed. They found the walls easily enough and began to feel along them. They smirked at the feel of a knob. The door. They grabbed the knob and attempted to turn it. It only jingled slightly. They grunted in frustration. Locked. They felt the doorknob and felt a keyhole. They had to use other methods.

They gripped the knob tightly and stood wide. They threw their body into the door just under the doorknob. They struck it repeatedly with varied effort. They heard noises from the other side, but it was jumbled in their efforts to escape. They paused and gasped for air. They grunted once more. This was not enough. They needed more force.

Chara let go of the knob. They put their hands behind their back and began to back up in a straight line. They felt the back wall and stopped. They readied their stance to run. They took a deep breath in and out. They were ready.

Before they could begin their sprint, however, they heard a noise from the other side of the door. A click of the lock. Chara lowered their stance as the door opened, wary of what monster would greet them. It was the one they knew would appear and dreaded the most: Dr. Gaster. Something was different about him as well. His skull had a large scar on the left side. The skull seemed to make it as though Gaster could not fully open his eye socket, only open three-fourths at the most. Chara’s eyes widened as the memory came to them. _They_ caused that scar.

Gaster spared no time. His eyes flared with energy, his blue burned brighter than his orange. Bones jutted from the stone around Chara. The bones surrounded them tightly. They could barely move from against the wall. All they could do was scowl at the monster responsible through the makeshift cage. Gaster smirked and let out a small chuckle of amusement, “I hear you are already picking fights with your new caretaker. So predictable…”  
Chara growled at him, “What did you do to me? Where’s my knife? Where’s my locket?!”  
Gaster reached into his pocket and pulled out a small item, “Ah, you must mean this little trinket.”  
Gaster revealed the item to be Chara’s locket. The chain dangled from his fingers as he held it aloft. Chara growled and tried to reach through the cage, “Give it back!”

Gaster’s smirk descended. The bones vanished in an instant. Before Chara could react, however, they felt themselves forced to the floor. Their chest and head slammed into the stone and they let loose an, “Ow!” Sound without a thought. They struggled to move, let alone get up. Even their arms struggled to move. They heard Gaster’s voice darken to a serious tone, “You’re in no position to be making demands. Especially not to me.”  
Chara continued to struggle. Gaster approached Chara with a frown, “As much as it would be satisfying to continue, I must cut our time short. I have much work to do. If you behave, I’ll consider giving your little _collar_ back.”  
Chara grunted out their words, “I will not be... your prisoner! Father, Mother, and Asriel will-“  
Gaster stopped just before Chara. He bellowed over in laughter at Chara’s words. Chara’s expression dropped into a seething rage. They roared at Gaster, “What’s so funny?!”  
Gaster quickly recovered. He smirked, “They are my prisoners as well.”  
Chara’s expression dropped. Dread grew in the pit of their stomach. They turned their head towards Gaster and spat, “You… you liar…”  
Gaster smirked and shrugged, “Believe what you want. You will see it as the truth soon enough.”

Gaster turned to leave, “Their punishment will be decided and dealt tomorrow at noon in New Home.”  
He paused and looked down at Chara with a victorious smirk, “Perhaps I should take you. Just so you can confirm it for yourself.”  
Chara hissed, “I… I won’t let you hurt them!”  
Gaster turned back towards the door with a neutral expression, “That is not for me to decide. If monsterkind wishes it, then I shall deliver the punishment they see fit.”  
Gaster turned back towards Chara once he exited the room. They shot a glare, “Do try to behave until then. Your blood is far too precious to spill or let escape.”

Gaster closed the door and locked it tightly. His eyes returned to their normal, white state. His magic against Chara faded as he locked the door once more. He heard a growl and Chara charge the door. The door barely budged. Beside Gaster, Alphys stood with a tray in her hands, one with some freshly prepared vegetables and a glass of water. She asked nervously, “Should we… let her do that?”  
Gaster rolled his eye sockets as he gave Alphys the key to the door, “The human will tire itself out in a few short minutes. Any damage it could cause is completely harmless in the long run.”

Gaster mused aloud, “Although… perhaps it would be prudent to have a more long-term solution than a simple locked door…”  
Alphys suggested calmly, “I-I could draw up some solutions in my spare time-“  
Gaster responded quickly, “No.”  
Alphys frowned as Gaster continued, “I want the human’s care to be your top priority. Leave its confinement to me.”  
Alphys lowered her head and responded quietly, “Yes, sir.”

Gaster left without another word. Alphys sighed. She could do nothing but wait for Chara to calm down. After a few minutes of Chara’s attempts to escape, Alphys could hear Chara tire slightly. She knocked on the door and called to Chara, “Hey… you’re hungry, right?”  
There was a pause behind the door before Chara hissed back at Alphys, “I do not want it.”  
Alphys frowned, “But… you haven’t eaten all day today! I-I know it’s late, but you-“  
Chara shouted through the door, “I DON’T WANT IT!”

Alphys put the tray down with a sigh. She stood directly in front of the door as she spoke, “Please. You have to eat something. You’re a growing girl, right? You-“  
Chara interrupted Alphys with a low tone, “What did you call me?”  
Alphys shook. Her voice wavered, “I… I examined you and… you’re a… girl?”  
Chara slammed their fist on the door once. Alphys jumped back in fright. She let a small “Eep!” noise loose before she fell down. Chara shouted through the door, “I’m not a girl! I’ll never be a girl again! I’ll never be like her!”

Alphys blinked. She was silent for a moment as the gears turned in her mind. She let out an, “Oh!” sound. She stood and approached the door, “I- I’m sorry! I didn’t know humans finally accepted the concept of being transgender! D-do you consider yourself a boy?”  
Chara responded darkly, but simply, “No.”  
Alphys continued her surprise, “Non-binary? Wow, humans are finally catching up to most of this stuff…”

She paused, “So... you’re non-binary… wh-what’s your name?”  
Chara huffed, “Why do you care?”  
Alphys smiled nervously and fiddled with her hands, “W-well… I’m your caretaker now… I think… I think I should care, right?”  
Chara grumbled but didn’t respond. Alphys paused before she spoke calmly, “Look… I know you don’t like this situation… it’s… kind of weird for me too… but… take it from us… starving isn’t fun… it’s horrible. So… please. I’ll bring you two meals a day; one in the morning, and one at night. It’d… really help us both if you ate them.”  
She smiled, “And… who knows?... maybe… we could… talk during the meals? I-if you want to, I mean…”  
Chara sighed, “Fine. I’ll eat.”  
Alphys quickly collected the tray, “Great!”

Alphys leaned down and saw a small knob at the bottom of the door, “I’m going to put the tray under the door now.”  
Alphys slowly lifted the knob. A small part of the bottom of the door raised. Alphys saw the bottom of Chara’s gown and their knees. She slid the tray through the small opening, the glass of water just short enough to fit under. She saw Chara take the tray and put it on their lap. Alphys peeked through with a nervous laugh, “Sorry it’s just vegetables… I’m not that good at cooking, but I’ll get better! A lot of fruit and vegetables grow in the underground- oh! And mushrooms, too! I’ll… I’ll do what I can… okay?”

Chara silently began to eat the vegetables without another word. Alphys then saw the room was dark, “Um… the light switch is on the right side of the door… you don’t have to be in the dark…”  
Chara didn’t respond. They began to voraciously eat. They didn’t even realize they were this hungry. Alphys smiled, “I’ll come back for the tray later. Just slide it and the glass under the door when you’re done… I… I gotta get back to work.”  
Chara finally spoke, “I thought I was your work.”  
Alphys blushed and sputtered slightly, “Y-you are! I-I meant my… I meant your initial exam. And… and you gave me some info I just have to put in my report- with you being non-binary and all!”

Chara didn’t respond. They went straight back to their food. Alphys let go of the little knob and stood, “I’ll… see you in a bit…”  
Alphys walked off, not sure what to feel about the whole situation.

An excerpt from the journal of Dr. W. D. Gaster

_The human has only been here one day and has already caused problems. Firstly, its retrieval almost caused its demise. Secondly, it has already shown signs of hostility to Alphys, whom I had beforehand assigned to be the human’s caretaker. While I expected hostility towards me, I did not fully expect hostility towards Alphys. From what she told me about her initial examination, I conclude the mention of my name prompted the hostility.  
This is the first of many long days to come and I already can see the potential work piling up. I doubt I will have more than an hour or two to spare researching the human’s soul if I have any time at all. It will have to do. For now, my next focus is on the Dreemurr’s little trial by the populace tomorrow. I can only imagine how this will end. ___


	3. Trial and Punishment

Gaster teleported back to the Royal Guard Outpost in New Home. The hallway he was in was bare. It was late. Most of monsterkind was already asleep and those who were nocturnal were only just awakening. Gaster quickly fished his cell phone from his pocket before entered a nearby room. Three other monsters sat around a table in the room. One was the current Captain of the Royal Guard. The others were two citizens. All three of them perked their ears and turned their attention towards the door at Gaster’s return.  
Gaster stowed the cell phone back in his pocket and sighed, “My deepest apologies, that was the assistant I assigned to care for the human.”  
One of the citizen’s perked up in concern, “Is something wrong with it?”  
Gaster sat down at the table, “Physically, it only sustained minor injuries. Although it’s mentality is debatable. It decided to become hostile towards its new caretaker and I had to talk my assistant through pacifying it.”  
The captain frowned and nearly spat, “So, it’s already causing problems.”  
Gaster gently raised a hand towards the captain to calm them down, “It is nothing that cannot be handled. She was simply unprepared for the initial outburst.”  
The second citizen spoke up with a doubtful tone, “If she was ready for it then it shouldn’t have needed your attention.”  
Gaster relaxed his hand and rolled his eye sockets, “The human going through an ownership change. It still recognizes the Dreemurrs as its owners. It will take some time for the human to recognize that I am effectively its new owner.”  
Gaster reached into his pocket and pulled out Chara’s locket. He gave an amused chuckle, “It was even recovered with its own collar of sorts.”  
The captain spoke up, “My reports say that Prince– excuse me, _Former_ Prince Asriel, was wearing a similar locket when he and his parents were finally arrested.”  
Gaster stowed the locket back into his pocket as he continued, “Yes, as far as I am aware, it was Asriel who found the human in the first place within Home.”  
The captain scratched their chin and mused aloud, “Maybe I should send a few guards to patrol Home, then… I think I remember how to unlock those one-way doors…”

The first citizen spoke with a firm tone, “In any case, we have a trial to prepare for.”  
Gaster agreed, “We have already decided the time and place, and I am sure the Royal Guard can keep the citizens under control while the trial goes on.”  
The second citizen slouched in their chair and muttered, “I still think a trial by the populace is a bad idea.”  
Gaster grimaced lightly, “With how my initial announcement catapulted the populace into a fervor, I can only see them calmed by this method.”  
The second citizen snarked, “So, you admit you stirred the pot?”  
“Indeed.”

The first citizen spoke up, “Well, that’s a bit of a problem since it’s a possibility that after the Dreemurrs are sentenced and out of power, you may end up taking their place in leading us. I can’t say for sure, but my neighbors clamored about the idea.”  
The second citizen sat up and affirmed, “Mine, too.”  
Gaster replied calmly with a hand to his chest, “I did notice how they treated me these past couple of days. The possibility lingered in the back of my skull, but, of course, my main concern was getting the human from the Dreemurrs.”  
The captain raised a brow, “Does that mean you accept that possibility?.”  
Gaster lowered his arm as he affirmed, “If that is the will of the populace, then I cannot refuse.”

The second citizen chuckled, “Then I guess paying for the substitute will pretty much count as paying taxes, right?”  
Gaster shook his head lightly, “That is not entirely incorrect, but it is not an appropriate question at this time. After all, the human’s blood is far from limitless. As such, no matter how much I fine tune the formula, there will always be a short amount produced at once.”

The first citizen changed the subject with a raised eyebrow, “Speaking of the human, you said something about its mental state being debatable…”  
Gaster explained with a sigh, “From what I can tell, the human had a hand in our current situation. I can only assume it convinced the Dreemurrs it needed protecting and moved them away from their instincts by preying on their kindness. Despite it being a child, it is intelligent.”  
He curled his fist on the table, “So much so that it was capable of combat.”  
The first citizen questioned, “So… it’s good for us that its finally separated from the Dreemurrs, then, right?”  
Gaster leaned forward on the table, “Yes, but the human will still fight every step of the way. As I said, it needs to learn that _I_ am its new owner.”

He paused. His expression turned serious, “There is a way, but it can be risky…”  
The captain narrowed their eyes, “What way?”  
Gaster continued, “If… perhaps, the human is present to see its previous owners’ punishment, then-“  
The second citizen slammed its claws on the table and stood from their chair, “You can’t be serious! The populace would eat it alive!”  
The captain yelled in response, “Not if my guard was there to stop them, which was planned regardless!”

The room quieted. The second citizen settled back in their seat. They spoke quietly in a chastised tone, “I’m sorry…”  
Gaster spoke calmly, “No, no. You are right to be concerned. It is our entire food supply I am risking after all.”  
The first citizen questioned, “So, you think that if the human sees its previous owners punished… then it’ll start to obey you?”  
Gaster fully relaxed in his chair, “At the very least, it will see it has no other place to turn. It will be less likely to escape and encounter a feral monster.”  
The captain scratched their head, “I think… it’s worth the risk. Less we have to worry about the human leaving the lab, the more the Royal Guard can maintain order and find any other places humans could fall into the underground.”  
Gaster gave a calm smile, “Then it is settled.”

The second citizen sighed, “I think that’s everything, then, right?”  
The first stood, “At least until the populace really chooses its next leader.”  
Gaster stood, “Then I suggest we all rest. We have quite the event tomorrow, after all.”  
The captain nodded and stood, “I’ll send a few of my more trusted guards to help you take the human to the trial.”  
Gaster gave a calm smile, “That would most certainly help, thank you.”  
Everyone began to file out with a few goodbyes. Gaster made his way towards a deserted corner of the building. He paused. His gaze scanned their area briefly. He pulled out his cell phone. He dialed a number from memory. About a minute later, he spoke in a strict tone, “I have a job for you.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chara tried to sleep that night to little success. They tossed and turned most of the night. Their bed wasn’t uncomfortable. It was the thoughts of what had transpired that did not quell their mind. Their bruises from their attempts at ramming the door did not help. Their arm was bruised and slightly battered from their attempts. Chara found that they reached for their locket a couple times, only to remember Gaster had taken it. They resigned themselves to rest for only a few hours.

A knock on the door awoke them. After a few knocks, Alphys’s voice rang softly from the opening underneath the door, “Um… hi… I’m… I’m sorry if I woke you. It’s, um… It’s mid-morning… so…”  
Chara grumbled as they sat on the bed to reorient themselves. They opened their eyes to see the dark room around them and the light from the small opening underneath the door. A panel. Chara sighed, “I had hoped it was all a nightmare…”  
Alphys scooted a new tray under the door. She spoke with a solemn tone, “It sounds like you had a rough night.”  
Chara stood from their bed, “And a rough day before…”  
Alphys gave a nervous laugh, “R-Right…”

Chara went to the door and quickly found the light switch on the right side. A light in the center of the ceiling turned on with the switch. Chara groaned slightly, unprepared for the sudden light change. Their eyes soon adjusted. They set their sights on the tray Alphys slid under the door. A simple glass of water. A bowl of what appeared to be a hot porridge with a spoon to eat it with. An unpeeled orange beside the bowl. Chara settled on the floor before they began to eat. Alphys spoke up, “It was… getting kind of late… so… I thought I should make sure you were up… before the um… trial…”  
Chara set their spoon down in the bowl. Their grip tightened in anger. They spoke, “What will happen to them?”  
Alphys sighed and sat near the door, “I… I don’t know, honestly. It’s a trial by the populace, so it… the sentence could be anything.”

Chara bit their lip before they tried to finish their food. The porridge was fine, if a bit bland. They struggled to peel the orange. The grunted as they tried. Alphys heard this, “Are you okay? Is your stomach not used to magic-grown food?”  
Chara resigned, “I cannot peel this orange. I need a knife.”  
Alphys lifted the opening of the door, “Oh! Sorry. Let me do it. I… can’t give you a knife… um-“  
Chara sighed as Alphys’s clawed hand appeared under the door, “His orders, I presume?”  
Alphys responded as Chara put the orange in her hand, “Yeah… sorry…”

Alphys used her claws slowly peeled the orange. She returned the peeled orange under the door, “Here. Sorry, I’m still learning. Was the porridge okay, at least?”  
Chara answered honestly as they grasped the orange, “Fine. A bit bland.”  
Alphys let out a sigh of relief, “Thank goodness. I thought I burned some of it.”

Alphys paused before she spoke gently, “I, um… never got your name… before-“  
She groaned and put her hands to her face, “I just realized I never introduced myself either…”  
Chara gave a light smirk and spoke, “Actually, you have. It is Alphys, correct?”  
Alphys shook slightly before she asked gravely, “How do you know my name?”  
Chara spoke calmly, “You ran into Asriel and I in The Core. We helped you pick up your reports. You were the one that told us Gaster had been sequestering himself during the investigation.”  
Alphys let out a noise of surprise, “Wait, that was you with him?! I- I didn’t even see you! Then again… those papers were stacked really high…”

Alphys paused, “Well… you already know my name. What’s yours?”  
Chara hesitated for a moment. A tinge of doubt surfaced in their mind. Could Alphys truly be trusted? She did work for Gaster, after all. But Alphys was different. If anything, she was kind, inattentive, and naïve. Chara sighed. Their name wouldn’t hurt. They answered simply, “Chara.”  
Alphys smiled, “Nice to meet you, Chara.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alphys left Chara alone after they finished eating. After a few hours, Chara heard numerous footsteps approach their door. Gaster’s voice could be heard behind the door, “It is in here, for now.”

Chara stood from their bed. They lowered their stance and became on guard. The door unlocked with a click. The door opened. Gaster’s eyes quickly fell on Chara. He stepped aside from the door, much to Chara’s surprise. Three monsters in armor filed into the room and surrounded Chara. One held a bundle of rope and approached them. Chara began to breathe heavily in panic. Gaster’s voice cut through Chara’s panic, “If you cooperate, you will be rewarded.”  
Gaster once more held Chara’s locket aloft in his hand. Chara focused on the sight of it. They glared at Gaster for a moment, whom promptly replied with a smug grin. After a moment, Chara’s glare faded. Their stance relaxed slightly. Gaster chuckled, “Good. You’re learning.”

The three guards acted quickly. They tied Chara’s arms to their back. A long part of the rope was kept unbound. One guard held onto it tightly. A leash for Chara. Gaster spoke, “This is mostly for your own protection. After all, most of monsterkind will be present for this trial.”  
One of the guards spoke up, “Are we set, then?”  
Gaster set his hands behind his back and affirmed, “We are. It may be a short walk through Hotland, but the highest level will have the most monsters there due to the trial. Be ready.”

The guard with the rope handed it off to Gaster. Chara had no choice but to follow out of their room. Two of the guards flanked Chara’s sides while the third one brought up the rear. The group exited the lab in silence and entered the elevator nearby. The ride through the elevator was cramped but short. The guards all pulled out their weapons or readied their magic in the elevator. The doors opened to the highest floor of Hotland. Immediately the group could see a large crowd of monsters. Many filed towards New Home with varied temperaments. A few close by noticed the group’s arrival. One of them gasped, “Dr. Gaster!”  
Many of the nearby monsters perked up at the name. Murmurs rang through the crowd. “It is him!” “Is that the human?!” “It’s just a child!”  
Gaster ignored many of the murmurs around him and pressed through. Some monsters called out to those ahead, “Let him through!”

Some monsters came towards the group with saliva dripping from the corners of their mouths. The guards immediately brandished their weapons towards the monsters. All but one stopped. The last one got next to the group and began to reach in for Chara before it stopped. Gaster paused and turned towards the monster with his eyes aglow. His blue brighter than his orange. He glared at the monster and spoke darkly, “No one other than myself or its assigned caretaker will touch this human without _my_ permission. Those that try...”  
The monster was flung back into the crowd. The crowd gasps and clamored at the display of power. Gaster smirked, “Shall be made an example of.”  
Those that even thought to reach Chara slinked back submissively into the crowd. The crowd parted and allowed Gaster access without any further disruption. Gaster took one look at the path to New Home and sighed, “We will go through The Core. This way we do not have to fight the crowd.”  
The guards sighed in relief.

The rest of the way was without incident. The group found their way through The Core to the Royal Way fairly easily. From atop New Home, the group could see a large crowd of monsters move towards the castle in the distance. Chara shook. They knew there were still a lot of monsters, but the never imagined so many.

As the group approached the Dreemurr household, Chara could not help but feel a way of melancholy and sadness. The memories of yesterday replayed in their head. However, they noticed something in front of their former home. In the yard area, Chara saw six guards posted, ready to move at a moment’s notice. One of the guards noticed the group’s approach and nodded, “The traitors are ready to move as well.”  
Gaster replied calmly, “Then we better move quickly. Even Hotland’s top floor was full of monsters.”

The guards, Gaster and Chara all filed into the Dreemurr home. Gaster, Chara, and their three guards all waited in the foyer. Chara immediately saw that all three bedrooms were guarded each by another guard. Three guards entered each bedroom while the remaining six stood in front of the doors on the other side of the hallway. Chara heard the guards begin to order harshly. “Move it!” “Let’s go!” “It’s time.”  
Each room filed out into the corridor. Chara gasped. First, they saw Asgore. His pauldrons and cape were removed. He wore the sweater Chara knitted for him, ‘Mr. Dad Guy’ carefully stitched onto the pink sweater. His fur was disheveled, and he appeared bruised and beaten. His expression was downcast. Hopeless.

The second Dreemurr Chara noticed was Toriel. Her long robe was stained with dust and torn with claw marks in many places. Her fur was matted and disheveled with some hairs torn out. Her eyes were puffy and pink. The fur under them was stained with tears. Her expression was one of grief and depression.

Lastly, the Dreemurr closest to Chara, and the one they noticed last was Asriel. Asriel limped out of his and Chara’s shared room. He was bruised in some places, but he was barely injured compared to his parents. His locket still hung around his neck, he grasped it and refused to let go. His eyes were puffy as well, but tears still fell from his eyes even as he was forced out of his room.

The Dreemurrs were quick to notice Gaster. Only Toriel showed some glares of hostility while Asriel and Asgore simply kept their downcast state. Asriel’s eyes widened as he looked past Gaster and saw Chara. He spoke quietly, but everyone could hear, “Chara?”  
Toriel gasped and covered her mouth. She began to weep, “You’re alive!..”  
No other words could escape her weeps. Asgore stayed quiet. Asriel tried to move forward, but the guards around him stopped his advance. Gaster smirked at the Dreemurrs, “This all could have been avoided, but you refused to listen to reason.”  
Toriel’s glare returned again, but she said nothing. Gaster’s smirk normalized to a frown. He spoke to the room, “Let’s go. Take them first.”

The nine guards that surrounded the Dreemurrs began to move. Each split in teams of three to guide each family member along. Gaster and Chara’s group followed behind. As they all followed down the stairs and into the castle, Chara began to hear faint voices in the distance. As the groups approached the more open areas of the castle, Chara could see a gigantic crowd in front of the entrance to the castle. More and more monsters piled in by the second. Even Toriel, Asgore, and Asriel held a shocked gaze at the crowd of monsters.

The group continued on towards the Last Corridor but did not go in. Instead, the large group made their way to the elevator. They all made it down in trips. Out of the elevator was a large entrance hall. Statues and paintings of famous monsters lined the walls of the hall, now dark except for the light that shone in from the castle entrance. The crowd was just beyond. As Gaster and Chara’s group, the final group, exited the elevator, a loud clock tower rang in the distance. With it, the crowd erupted in cheers and yells. Noon had struck. The trial had begun.

The Dreemurrs were filed out onto the large ramp that served as the entryway. In front of them were a row of the Royal Guard, which kept the crowd at bay. Royal Guards seemed to be scattered among the crowd. Many citizens booed and yelled obscenities at the Dreemurrs. Asgore, Toriel, and Asriel were presented beside each other and forced onto their knees. Gaster then stepped out. Cheers erupted at his presence. He quickly gave the rope back to Chara’s guards at the top of the ramp. The three of them quickly surrounded Chara with their weapons and magic at the ready. Chara tried to squeeze through them, but the guards halted their attempts. All but three of the remaining guards went to the front line. A guard each stood behind Asgore, Toriel, and Asriel. Gaster stepped forth beside the Dreemurrs. He scanned the crowd with a serious gaze for a moment. He raised his hand high. The crowd began to quiet down. Gaster waited a few moments before he projected his voice and spoke to the crowd, “My fellow citizens. Today, it is with a heavy heart that we must decide the fate of these three monsters. Our former royal family. Toriel Dreemurr, Asgore Dreemurr, and Asriel Dreemurr. The three of them have been accused of hoarding a human from the public and refused to use it to find a solution to our starvation.”  
The crowd booed the Dreemurrs once again. Gaster motioned towards Chara, “As you can see, the human in question has been recovered from them; proof enough of these accusations.”  
The crowd cheered in response before Gaster continued, “Who among you questions this proof? Who among you would stand in defense of these traitors?”  
The crowd fell to near silence. Indistinguishable murmurs rang throughout the crowd. No monster spoke up. Many looked in all directions for one who would dare. Gaster frowned after a few moments, “No one. I see. Then, by unanimous decree, the Dreemurrs are found guilty!”

The crowd erupted in cheers. Dread began to grow on the faces of Asriel, Asgore, Toriel, and Chara. The crowd began to shout out various punishments, “Kill them!” “Lock them away to starve!” “Tear them apart!”  
A monster near the front shouted out, “If they wanna protect food, then they should be food! Someone, eat them!”  
Another monster deep in the crowd agreed, “Yeah! Eat them! They deserve it!”  
Horror dawned on the Dreemurrs faces as the crowd began to unite under the idea. Even Chara held a gaze of pure horror as a chant spread across the crowd, “Eat them! Eat them! Eat them!”

Gaster lifted his hand to quiet the crowd. With a calm expression, he called to the crowd, “And who should deliver such a punishment?”  
Many voices echoed from the crowd. “C’mon! Do it!” “Kill them!” “Dr. Gaster should do it!” “You’re right there! Eat them!”  
Chara’s already horrified gaze widened in realization. They began to shake. Their voice only a whisper, “No… please…”  
Gaster flashed a smirk for only a brief moment. He put a hand to his chest, “If that is the will of monsterkind, then I accept the task.”  
Chara’s feet immediately moved. They tried to push past their guards. They shouted in panic, “NO!”  
The three guards held Chara in place. Chara struggled throughout. Pleading begs escaped them, “Let me go! You can’t do this!”

Gaster turned towards the Dreemurrs. Asriel’s tears never halted. He hugged himself tightly as he sobbed quietly. Toriel still held shock in her gaze, disbelief this was all real. Asgore simply looked down. He had given up. Gaster slowly passed in front of the Dreemurrs and made his way to Asgore first. He turned towards the crowd briefly as he spoke, “Then first, the king who betrayed his people’s trust!”  
Gaster’s eyes began to glow. His blue brighter than his orange. Large bones jutted from the stonework and plunged straight through Asgore’s chest. Toriel screamed out, “Gorey!”  
Asriel had closed his eyes and covered his face. He did not want to see. Asgore replied weakly, “T- Tori…”  
Asgore’s last breath escaped him before he turned to dust in an instant. His soul floated just above where the bones pierced him. Toriel screamed out, “NO!”  
Tears began to stream down her face once more. Gaster ignored it. He turned slightly for the crowd to see. He used his blue magic to whisk Asgore’s soul into his hand. Gaster’s mouth opened and the soul was forced past his teeth. He closed his mouth and swallowed the soul whole without any hesitation. The crowd cheered at the first execution. Chara continued to shake and attempt to free themselves. At the sight of Asgore’s soul eaten, Chara froze. Their mind failed to see this as reality. They tried to speak, but no words came to them. Their throat felt dry and their stomach heavy. All they could do was stand there and shake.

Gaster stepped in front of Toriel. He addressed the crowd again, “The queen who so fervently defended the human from us.”  
Asriel covered his ears and curled into a ball slightly. Gaster repeated his magic, and Toriel was pierced. She turned to dust without another word. Her own tears stained the dust. Chara cried out, finally free from their trance, “MOTHER!”  
Gaster slipped Toriel’s soul past his teeth and swallowed her whole as well. The crowd’s cheers erupted again, but for Chara, the world started to go quiet. They could hear the cheers, but it all seemed muddled in comparison to this moment. Their eyes drifted to the one monster they had left. Their best friend, Asriel. Gaster slowly approached Asriel. Before he could say anything, Chara shrieked, “No! Please! I beg you, not Asriel! I’ll-I’ll do whatever you want! Just, please! Don’t kill him!”

Gaster seemed to ignore Chara’s words. He turned towards the crowd, “And lastly, the prince who found the human and set this turmoil into motion.”  
Gaster turned towards Asriel. His shadow completely covered the cowering prince. Gaster then briefly turned his gaze towards Chara. Their eyes were full of panic and desperation, locked onto Gaster. Their gaze met. Gaster flashed a victorious smirk. Chara pleaded desperately, “No… Please, no-“  
In an instant, serval bones pierced Asriel’s chest. No sound escaped him. Even in his weakened state, Asriel’s head slowly turned towards Chara. Chara was still, their eyes locked onto Asriel. Asriel quietly squeaked out, “Cha… ra…”  
His body went limp. His body slowly turned to dust. His locket landed in the pile he became. Gaster quickly retrieved Asriel’s soul. He waited until Chara could clearly see him hold it. Only then did he finally swallow Asriel’s soul whole.

The world slowed around Chara. Nothing seemed to exist other than the sight of Gaster swallowing Asriel’s soul. No sound. No feeling. Nothing other than that sight. Chara gritted their teeth for a moment. Tears streamed down their face. They shrieked. Their shriek was loud enough to draw some attention from the crowd. Two of Chara’s guards covered their ears, unprepared for the shriek. Chara began to charge toward Gaster, despite the ropes around them. They found themselves pulled back from their charge by the remaining guard. The guard struggled to keep them back. Gaster, at first, showed some surprise at Chara’s unending shrieks, but it soon dipped to a frown. He gave a nod to the guards. One of the two guards that covered their ears perked up at the sight. They balled their hand into a fist and struck Chara’s head. Chara quieted almost instantly. Their vision began to blur. They fell to their knees before their vision went black. Unconsciousness took them once more.


	4. Grief

Chara’s mind was consumed by the thought of what had just transpired. Their dreams replayed and distorted the memory of the trial. Chara could see the entrance to the castle just as it was. The crowd was a sea of faceless monsters. All were grey and of one form. Their shouts were muddled and distant. The guards at the foot of the ramp were bland as well. They were unmoving. The guards around them were nearly the same.  
Something was different. Chara did not feel the ropes around them. They looked at their feet to see the ropes all lay there, slack and unbound from their form. Their eyes widened. _When did this happen,_ they wondered. _Did I break through them? Did someone untie me?_

Their thoughts were interrupted by Gaster’s voice, the first voice Chara could clearly hear, “Then first, the king who betrayed his people’s trust!”  
Chara heard the familiar noise of Gaster’s summoned bones. Chara quickly turned their gaze to see Asgore’s death replay before them. Chara’s eyes widened in shock. Didn’t this just happen? Chara felt a wave of confusion and grief. Tears began to endlessly stream from their eyes. Why was this repeating? Or was this the real one and the event before was a premonition? Their eyes began to wander to Toriel and Asriel. If that was the case…  
Gaster began to approach Toriel. Chara’s gaze darkened. They struggled to push past their guards. The guards barely moved, they were still as stone. They did not react to Chara’s pushing. Through their struggles, Chara could see Gaster’s magic strike Toriel. Chara shook. They had to stop this.

With a few more struggles, Chara managed to squeeze between their guards. None of them reacted, but Chara did not notice. Chara ran as fast as their legs could carry them. They ran towards Asriel, who was still curled in a ball in fear. Gaster stepped in front of Asriel. Chara’s chest felt heavy. They soon noticed that they weren’t any closer to Asriel and Gaster. They began to panic, “No! Asriel!”  
No matter how much they ran, it seemed as though they ran in place. Chara reached forward towards Asriel. They cried out, “Please! Let him live!”  
Gaster paused with a frown. He turned his gaze towards Chara. Chara slowed for a second. They gritted their teeth and roared. They charged. Yet still, they ran in place. Gaster gave a smirk, “You haven’t noticed.”  
Chara paused. Noticed what? They stopped in their tracks. Gaster pointed directly at them, “You are under my control.”  
Chara’s eyes widened. They looked down at their chest. Their soul was alight, coated in Gaster’s blue magic. Chara tried to move but found themselves locked in place. Gaster chuckled darkly, “Y O U C A N ‘ T S A V E H I M.”  
Chara quietly begged, “No… please, no!”

In an instant, bones once more pierced Asriel’s chest. Asriel’s locket shimmered in the dream, yet it too crumbled to dust with its owner. Chara shrieked. They couldn’t do anything again to save him. Chara curled inward. They heard wicked laughter emanate from Gaster. The dream faded in an instant.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chara awoke with a sharp gasp. They sat up in their bed and began to breathe heavily. They shivered from a cold sweat. It was a dream. At least, the replay was.

They heard a small gasp beside them. After a moment to collect themselves, Chara looked to their left to see Alphys a few steps from their bedside. Alphys hesitated, unsure of what Chara would do. She spoke worriedly, “It-It's ok now! It’s… it’s over…”  
Chara took a moment to gather their thoughts. Their memories. The real execution came to their mind. A sickness rooted in their stomach. Chara once more reached for their locket and found it was not there. Instead, they hugged themselves and shook for a moment. Alphys frowned and relaxed. She spoke in an apologetic tone, “I’m sorry… I… I didn’t know that it would… turn out like… well… that…”  
Chara curled inwards slightly. They hugged themselves tighter. Alphys continued, “If it helps… you weren’t asleep for very long! An hour, maybe two hours at most! I-I’m not sure, exactly… I’ve been making sure nothing bad happened. You, um… you were breathing heavily and turning a lot in your sleep, so…”

Chara gritted their teeth for only a moment. Their body relaxed slightly. They stopped shaking. Tears began to flow, accompanied by little weeps. Alphys paused. She fully relaxed, caught off guard by Chara’s weeps. She approached Chara, “Chara… I…”  
Chara curled inward. They pulled their knees to their chest and curled their neck down. Their hands cupped their face. They began to weep harder. Alphys paused. She stood there, nervous. Her mind went a million miles a minute. Should she help? Could she help? Nothing could bring the Dreemurrs back, after all. She was also nervous Chara could lash out. She easily heard all the details of the trial and how Chara reacted. Yet, here the human sat. Hopeless and in grief.

Alphys sighed. She had to help. She knew it was the right thing to do. She slowly approached Chara. She hesitated to raise her hand. She placed it on Chara’s left shoulder. Chara’s head shot up with a gasp. Chara instinctually jumped slightly away from Alphys’s touch. They shook. Fear showed across their face. Alphys sharply curled her arms inward at Chara’s reaction. She frowned and gave an apologetic tone, “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to scare you…”  
Chara relaxed slightly. They frowned deeply. They sat with their legs folded to one side. They hugged themselves lightly. They spoke, their voice threatened to break, “… leave me alone…”  
Alphys protested gently, “But, I-“  
Chara furrowed their brow. They uncurled their arms as they curled their hands into fists. They raised their voice firmly, “Just go!”  
Alphys backed up. Chara’s voice quieted and their voice broke, “Please… I want to be alone...”

Alphys lowered her head. She said nothing as she turned toward the door. Chara curled inwards on their bed. Their sobs resumed. Alphys paused at the door. She spoke calmly, not sure Chara would listen to her, “I’ll… come back in a while to check on you.”  
Chara continued their sobs. They did not react to Alphys’s words. Alphys gave one last sigh before she left the room and locked the door behind her.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chara calmed down over time. They had no clue how much time had passed. They calmly laid in their bed. They hugged themselves and their tears continued to stain their pillow. They didn’t want to move. They didn’t want to open their eyes if it meant their current situation wasn’t a dream. _This can’t be real,_ they thought, _they can’t be dead!_

Their thoughts were interrupted by two voices in the distance. It was at first a murmur. One was raised to nearly a shout, just enough for Chara to hear, “Enough!”  
Their eyes shot open. They knew that voice. _His voice_. The voices returned to murmurs, but they grew closer as the conversation seemed to finish with Gaster giving a firm tone. Chara began to hear a single pair of footsteps in the distance. They shot up on their bed and began to get up. Once they were almost up they froze. The trial repeated in their mind. They shook. Their hands tightened to fists. They gritted their teeth. Rage boiled within them as the steps grew closer. Fear was still there, but rage overtook it. One thought consumed their mind; _he will pay_.

The footsteps stopped in front of their door. They readied themselves. They heard the familiar click of the door’s lock. The door opened. Chara immediately charged the door with a war cry. The second the door revealed Gaster’s face, Chara could see his eyes were already alight with magic. His blue brighter than his orange. Chara felt themselves lift up a few feet above the ground. They grunted as they struggled to break free of Gaster’s magic around their soul. Gaster entered the room with a smirk, “That was quite the performance today at the trial. I didn’t expect your reaction to be that satisfying.”  
Chara stopped their struggles. They glared at Gaster and spoke full of venom, “You monster.”  
Gaster shrugged and frowned lightly, “And here I thought you were going to insult me. Instead, you state a fact. I’m disappointed in you.”  
Chara smirked. They spoke, their voice full of dark confidence, “Let me go and I will change that.”  
Gaster immediately frowned. Using his magic, he sent Chara into the back wall. Chara grunted and tried to hold their head, a pounding headache began from the attack. Gaster stepped to the center of the room. He put his right hand to the scar Chara gave him as he spoke, “And allow you to give me another scar? No. I’m done underestimating you.”

Gaster approached as Chara reoriented themselves. He stopped just in front of them. He raised his right hand and wrapped it around Chara’s neck tightly. Chara barely made a noise of shock. Their eyes shot open in a panic. Their hands struggled to move Gaster’s hand from their neck. Gaster spoke darkly, “I may need every single drop of blood your body can produce, but I have other ways of making you pay for what you’ve done!”  
Chara choked their words out weakly, “What… I’ve… done?! You’ve…”

Chara’s hands moved with more intensity. They could barely breathe. Gaster saw their struggle. He let go of Chara’s neck. Chara breathed heavily and coughed. Gaster took a couple steps back and allowed Chara to recover. After Chara’s coughs partially subsided, Gaster spoke firmly, “All I’ve done after your arrival was in reaction to _your_ efforts! I admit it was a mistake to bring my proposal to your previous owners in my original language-“  
Chara spat, “They aren’t my owners!”  
Gaster shrugged, “Cling to that little family concept all you want, it does not matter now that _I_ own you.”  
Chara roared out in defiance, “You are not my owner! I will never obey you!”  
Gaster counted on his fingers, “Hmm. I currently house you, ensure you are taken care of, protect you from monsters that would devour you...”  
He smirked, “That sounds like an owner, does it not?”  
Chara hissed, “Shut up…”  
Gaster crooked his head slightly and put his hands behind his back, “You may be defiant now, but I will find ways to make you obey. I will make the fifty to sixty years we have together your personal hell if I have to. After all, I have to pay you back for what you did to my eye.”

Chara racked their mind for a response. None came. All they could do was glare at Gaster and grit their teeth. Gaster relaxed and a satisfied smirk curled on his face. He closed his eyes and released Chara from his magic. Chara dropped to the floor with a thud. As Chara groaned from the impact, Gaster reached into his pocket. He spoke calmly, “I promised you a reward for behaving at the trial. This should suffice.”

Gaster pulled a small object out of his pocket. He tossed it to the floor in front of Chara. The clatter of metal made Chara’s head perk up. Their eyes locked onto the small object. Chara let out a small gasp; it was their locket. Chara quickly grabbed it and cupped it within both their hands to their chest. Gaster spoke once more, “Besides, I have this.”  
Gaster dug into one of his other pockets. He pulled out an extremely similar looking object. He let it dangle from a few of his claws so Chara could see. He held Asriel’s locket. Chara’s eyes widened at the sight of the matching locket. They let out a, “No…”  
They stood. They held their own locket and spoke with venom, “That locket doesn’t belong to you…”

Gaster’s finger’s curled around Asriel’s locket. He held the actual locket part between a few claws. He replied, “Until such time I deem you have earned this reward, it will belong to me. However, should you misbehave…”  
Gaster noticeably squeezed his thumb and forefinger together on the locket. The locket tried to move from the pressure. Chara gasped, “No!”  
A wall of bones materialized before Chara. Chara grunted as they tried to reach Gaster through the wall, but he stood just out of reach. Gaster turned away from Chara before he stowed Asriel’s locket back into his pocket. He spoke, “If you want the remaining locket, I suggest you behave yourself. Perhaps after a year of good behavior, I’ll gift it to you.”  
Chara roared, “No! Give it to me, now! You don’t deserve it after what you did to him!”

Gaster replied calmly, “You are as much to blame for their death as I am. I may have been the executioner, but your lies and control over the Dreemurrs sent them to their death. It is your fault you will never be with them again.”  
Chara growled, “Liar!”  
Gaster mused, “Although… that is not entirely true…”  
Gaster turned back towards Chara. He put a hand to his chest, “Every time you see me, you will be close to them. Their souls will sustain me for at least a few months.”  
Chara sat down on the floor and covered their ears. They cried out, “Stop it!”

Gaster chuckled to himself, amused at Chara’s reaction. He changed the subject, “I, unfortunately, must go. Don’t worry, I will be back tomorrow. Since I cannot take more blood for a while, we will start your soul research tomorrow. Remember to behave until then.”

Gaster turned and left the room. He locked the door behind him before he released his magic. The bones disappeared from the room. Chara was once again left alone in the dark. They looked at their locket in their hands, barely able to see it in the darkness. They walked over to the light switch. The locket was just as they remembered. They opened it. The picture of the Dreemurrs and themselves was still there. The picture was the one where Chara hid their face in the bouquet of flowers. Asriel had looked over in a giggle. Asgore and Toriel were regal.  
Tears streamed from Chara’s eyes once again. This is how they should be remembered. Chara closed the locket before they fastened it around their neck. The locket dangled around their neck. Chara couldn’t help but crack a smile. Somehow, the instant they put the locket around their neck, they felt a small semblance of comfort. They held the locket around their neck with both hands and sat on the floor with their eyes closed. It was back with them at last.

An excerpt from the journal of Dr. W. D. Gaster

_…The trial itself went as expected. The human’s reaction caused some minor concern among a few monsters, but I assured them that it was necessary and that the human was fine. I was also able to quickly retrieve Asriel’s necklace, the one that perfectly matches the human’s little collar. I knew I could use it as an incentive to make the human behave. Therefore, I gave the human its initial collar back. Yet it still believes it can make demands. I will find a way to break its will eventually.  
Alphys confronted me with concerns about the human’s mental state after the trial. She tried to argue with me that this was going to come back to bite us someday. I will have to monitor her reports extremely carefully. I suspect she may already be falling under the human’s sway. It didn’t take long for the Dreemurr’s, after all._


	5. Ironic Punishment

Chara sat in silent contemplation. They clutched their locket tightly with the fear it would disappear if they let go. Their eyes were puffy and red from their tears, reduced to trickles from their eyes. As more and more time passed, the dread of their situation began to sink in. Their anger towards Gaster subsided only slightly, but they felt it would return when he did. They grasped the locket tightly, _I will never forgive him_ , Chara swore to themselves.

Chara relaxed their grip around the locket. Their eyes drifted towards it. Memories of their month with the Dreemurrs flooded back to them. The smell of Toriel’s freshly cooked meals made with her love. The touch of Asgore while they trained or finally embraced him. The sights they saw with Asriel. The rainbow mist. The lake view. The barrier. The Last Corridor.

Their happy memories faded, almost ripped away from them as the memory of their first trip to the golden hall surfaced. The first time Chara had noticed, and successfully avoided, Gaster. Their memory turned to all the times Gaster came knocking on the Dreemurrs’ door. The time he pulled Asriel and themselves away. The fight in Snowdin Forest. Chara shook. Their breath became heavy. They curled in on themselves tightly. They didn’t want to think about it anymore.

A sudden knock pierced through Chara’s thoughts. Chara gasped sharply, startled. Chara heard Alphys’s voice through the door, “It’s ok! It’s just me, Chara!”  
Chara relaxed only slightly. They kept one hand on their locket just in case. They saw the bottom of the door lift upwards as Alphys slid a new tray under their door. This time it held a mushroom stew and a glass of water. Alphys spoke kindly, “I brought dinner. I… I would have come earlier but… I… I tried to speak to Dr. Gaster about why he made you see the trial…”  
Chara replied, their voice hoarse, “He has done more than that.”  
Alphys fidgeted with her fingers nervously, “Y-Yeah…”

Chara sat still. They made no attempt to go towards the tray of food. Alphys noticed the tray hadn’t moved. She spoke in concern, “Are you okay? You really should eat.”  
Chara shook their head, “I am not hungry.”  
Alphys groaned, “Please, Chara, I told you yesterday starving isn’t fun.”  
Chara sighed. They stood. Alphys could hear the noise of their steps against the stone floor. She sighed in relief. Chara kneeled down before they grasped the edge of the tray. They pushed the tray back under the door and quickly closed the compartment it used. Alphys facepalmed and groaned, “Chara…”  
Chara spoke bluntly, “I lost my appetite. You can thank him for that.”  
Alphys sighed and picked up the tray, “I told him that this was going to come back and bite us… but… he didn’t listen. Maybe now he’ll listen.”  
Chara stood up and went towards their bed, “He will not listen.”  
Alphys spoke calmly, “Well… I have proof that it was a bad idea. He may be… abrasive… but he is a monster of science. I’m sure he’ll listen.”  
Chara sighed as they settled into bed once more. Alphys hesitated but soon left quietly with the tray.

Alphys took the tray deep into the lab on a path to Gaster’s office. Before she could reach his office, however, she noticed something had changed about the area. A new scent hung in the air of the hallway. She paused. This scent was familiar; distant, but familiar. She took a deep breath, her eyes closed instinctually. She knew this smell. Her eyes shot open at the realization. Blood. Pure human blood. Her mouth watered. Her feet began to move without her will. She dropped the tray. It clattered to the floor behind her. The glass broke, and the bowl fractured. It spilled the soup far. Alphys knew of the spill, but her focus was on the scent of blood. Every inch of her body drew her closer and closer to the source of the scent. She turned down the hall a few times and she came to a door. The scent was strongest there. She could tell that the source was just beyond. She grasped the doorknob and tried to turn it. The door was locked. Normally, Alphys would turn away, but her instincts begged her to find a way in. She tried to pull and push at the door. It didn’t work. Before she could do anything else, a voice rung behind her, “What are you doing?”  
Alphys gasped. She turned sharply to the source of the noise. It was Gaster. He held some semblance of the scent of blood. Alphys stammered before she noticed the scent of blood once more. Alphys began to go back into her trance as her words faded into strange noises. Gaster raised a brow at the lack of a response. It took him a moment for him to realize what had happened. He sighed and rubbed his temples lightly. He spoke with resign, “Of course. You wandered here because of the blood.”

He kept a calm expression before he slapped Alphys sharply across the face. Alphys groaned and blinked as she held her reddened cheek. Gaster spoke calmly with his hands behind his back, “Have you returned to your senses?”  
Alphys paused before she fully realized her situation. She blushed heavily, “I- I’m so sorry, sir! I smelled- I mean, I didn’t-“  
Gaster raised a hand calmly to shush Alphys. Alphys complied and quieted immediately. Gaster spoke calmly, “Not to worry, I knew you would find this room eventually. I did not think it would be so soon.”  
Alphys curled in slightly, “What… is it?”  
Gaster looked towards the door, “I am creating the substitute in this room.”  
Alphys calmed slightly. She held a guilty look in her eyes, “Oh… so the smell was…”  
Gaster nodded, “The human’s blood. Correct.”

Alphys frowned for a moment. Gaster gave a small smile as he calmly explained, “Do not worry, as the human’s caretaker you are one of the very few monsters who are guaranteed a supply of the substitute. I cannot have you wildly attacking it, after all.”  
Alphys fidgeted with her hands, “Well… Thank you… but…um…”  
Gaster raised a brow, “Did something happen?”  
Gaster narrowed his eyes, “Or are we going to continue that conversation from earlier?”  
Alphys sighed, “Chara- the human, I mean, they… they refused to eat. They said… that they lost their appetite because of the trial...”  
Gaster sighed, “I see.”

He paused. He held his chin as he began to mull over options in silence. A small smirk curled on his face. He let the hand that held his chin go aloft as he spoke, “If it doesn’t want to eat, then why should we feed it?”  
Alphys’s eyes widened. She protested immediately, “S-sir! But that would-“  
Gaster frowned and rolled his eye sockets as he interrupted Alphys, “I do not mean permanently, obviously. It shouldn’t take long for the human to realize how much of a hell starvation is. A single day should do. I will tell you when you can resume making its meals.”  
Alphys curled up slightly. Her tone became submissive, “I-I don’t mean to question you… but… are you sure this is the only way? They’re just a kid after all-“  
Gaster interrupted her sharply. His voice filled with venom, “An unfortunately intelligent one. Did you know how it gave me this new scar? I only let my guard down for one second and it tried to split my skull with a knife!”  
Alphys looked at the scar for a moment before her gaze drifted away, “I… I suspected… but I didn’t think-“  
Gaster interrupted her once more. He spoke firmly, “And that is why you must be careful around the human. Remember, Alphys; humans are our food, but they also managed to trap us in this mountain. You cannot let your guard down. You cannot sympathize with its words. Even a child can be intelligent, given the right circumstances. Especially if it believes its survival is at stake.”  
Alphys frowned deeply as Gaster continued, “Humanity has forgotten it is not the top of the food chain. We have no choice but to teach the human that fact by any means necessary. Do I make myself clear?’  
Alphys sighed and hugged herself lightly, “Yes, sir…”

Gaster spoke calmly, “Good. I would suggest you get some rest. Have you finished the physical report yet?”  
Alphys perked up and nodded, “F-for the most part! I just need to do some format editing and it’ll be done!”  
Gaster replied, “Then have it on my desk tomorrow before noon.”  
Alphys slouched, “Yes, sir.”  
Alphys began to walk away in disappointment. Her boss had barely listened to her. To add insult to injury, he gave her an order counter to what she wanted. She turned back briefly. Her boss was no longer there. He must be back in that room, she thought. She turned forward with a sigh, “I’m sorry, Chara…”

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chara had no idea when they fell asleep. They didn’t know if they slept at all. Alphys did not return to them that night. Chara assumed that Gaster had not listened to her. Just as they suspected.

The sound of their empty stomach woke them to full consciousness. They groaned and sat up in bed. What time was it? Chara decided to find out. They stood and waited for the dull pain in their feet to subside. They wandered over to the door and kneeled down. No tray was nearby. They slowly went to open the lower opening of the door. No one was there. The lights of the hallway were on, however. Chara closed their eyes and focused on their hearing. Nothing other than the hum of the hallway lights. No distant footsteps. No hushed voices. Nothing.

An idea flashed through Chara’s mind. They held the panel of the door open. They pushed it against the outside of their room as far as it could go. They lowered themselves onto their stomach and peeked their head out. They struggled somewhat but was able to fit their head if it was sideways. They reached their other arm out and placed it on the wall next to the door. They began to push against the door and the wall. Chara felt stuck on their shoulders. They struggled to push themselves through the opening. They felt the wood of the door scrape against their shoulders bit by bit. Just a little more, Chara thought.

They relaxed in their struggle. They took a few deep breaths, they forgot to breathe in their struggles. Just as they readied themselves for another push, Chara heard distant footsteps. Chara instinctually gasped. They hurried to push themselves back inside their room. They succeeded with little effort. In their rush, they let go of the part of the door they held up. It lightly smacked against their head. Chara grunted before they quickly held the compartment open and then slowly closed it as they fully returned to the room. They gave a sigh of relief.

The footsteps grew closer and closer. Chara relaxed slightly. _It must be Alphys_ , Chara thought. Despite their protests yesterday, their hunger returned to them. They had to apologize to Alphys. They stepped back as the set of footsteps settled in front of the door. Their eyes drifted down to the compartment. Yet, something was different. There was no knock on the door. The compartment did not lift and reveal a tray. Instead, the lock clicked open. A chill ran down Chara’s spine. So far, only one being has opened their door.

As they feared, the first to greet them for the day was Gaster. The second Gaster saw Chara, his eyes lit up and Chara was still. Chara saw they were encased by Gaster’s magic, a grip on their very soul. A scowl grew across Chara’s face as they attempted to struggle against Gaster’s magic to no avail. The door opened fully. Gaster’s expression was neutral. Gaster spoke bluntly, “You will follow me, or I will force you to follow. Your choice.”  
Chara growled, “I remember what happened last time you made me cooperate.”  
Gaster raised a ‘brow’ at Chara, “I’ll take that as a no.”

Chara was lifted into the air. Gaster turned and slowly exited the room. Chara seemed to float behind him and move along at his pace. Gaster spoke off-handedly, “If you still fear more death awaits you, then you have nothing to fear for at least five decades. Of course, if any monster other than Alphys or myself get near you, then you would see death one more time.”  
Chara narrowed their eyes, “Where is Alphys? I thought you ordered her to be my ‘caretaker’.”  
Gaster gave a light chuckle, “She told me you refused your meal last night. Therefore, I have given her the day off from your care.”  
Chara’s eyes widened. Before they could speak, their stomach growled loud enough for Gaster to hear. Chara immediately curled in on themselves and held their stomach. They blushed and pouted, embarrassed. Gaster turned back slightly as he walked. He smirked, “That is a mere taste of the hell monsterkind has endured. Refuse a meal again and it will not be just one day. On continuous attempts, I will order Alphys to shove food down your throat if I have to.”  
A chill ran up Chara’s spine. Fear flashed onto Chara’s gaze for a moment. Gaster turned forward with a satisfied grin.

The rest of the walk was in silence. Gaster soon stopped at a door and swiftly opened it. Chara recognized it; the same room Gaster brought them to with Asriel. Chara instinctually clutched their locket. Dread began to well in the pit of their gut. Gaster closed the door behind them before he floated Chara to the island table with restraints. His orange eye began to glow just as bright as his blue. Both his eyes narrowed. He seemed to grunt with some exertion as two sets of hands appeared around Chara and began to strap their legs, arms, chest, and head to the table. Chara’s eyes widened in shock, “You can still use that magic?”  
Gaster spoke with venom in his voice, “With great restraint, thanks to you.”  
As soon as Chara’s restraints were tightened, Gaster released his magic. He let out a few deep breaths and held the right side of his head along the scar. He stood there for a moment to recoup. After a large sigh, Gaster stood tall. He approached the machines on the side of the room, all covered in white sheets. He pulled the sheet off of one that had wheels. It was a bulky machine, tall and rectangular. One side of the machine held a screen could move to decent degrees. Out of the other side, a long, thin stretch of metal and cables jutted from the machine. The end of this metal limb was a laser apparatus of sorts. Chara looked at the machine, pangs of fear in their voice, “What is that?”  
Gaster spoke calmly, “This is a soul scanning device. Since monster bodies are made of magic, it is easy to discern our condition by examining our souls.”  
Gaster spoke in a neutral tone as gently pushed the machine to the side of the table, “It’s rather old. And since you are human I will no doubt have to make adjustments, but I only need a basic scan to begin my research. This should not take long.”

Gaster set the machine squarely next to the table. He pointed the laser apparatus towards Chara’s chest began to flip a few switches and press a few buttons on the machine. A soft hum began to emanate from the machine as it started up. Gaster held a large switch and slowly lowered it part of the way. The laser hummed to life and fired at Chara’s chest right below their locket. Chara cringed, looked away, and closed their eyes. They were powerless to stop the beam. They felt a pressure on their chest where the laser was constantly fired at. Surprised, Chara peeked one eye open. A light formed on their chest and formed a red, upright heart. They heard Gaster let out a curious sound, “Strange, it is not registering the soul… I should be able to get a basic reading from this level…”  
Gaster lowered the lever a few more notches. The laser hummed and became more intense. The pressure on Chara’s chest increased. The pressure began to pin their chest firmly against the table. Chara felt uncomfortable and began to squirm slightly. Their squirms barely mattered as the restraints made them barely able to move. Gaster quickly noticed Chara’s squirms. He turned his attention towards Chara. A smirk curled on his face, “Uncomfortable? Get used to it. As long as your soul is not damaged, whatever pain this machine will bring you is what you deserve.”  
Chara glared at Gaster. Gaster’s expression normalized as he turned back towards the screen. He frowned at the results on the screen. He grumbled, “Only a faint reading… Not enough for it to collect any data. I suppose I will have to adjust it more than I thought.”

Gaster once more lowered the lever a few notches. The lever was almost fully lowered. The beam increased in intensity. Chara’s eyes widened; the pressure had crossed the line to pain. For a moment the pain seemed to ring throughout Chara’s entire being. Chara let out a yelp. They struggled against the beam. Their breaths became shallow and quick under the struggle of the beam. Gaster gave a satisfied smirk as he focused on the screen, “There it is.”  
He frowned as he examined the data now slowly coming on screen, “Interesting. Your physical matter seems to protect against the beam. I will have to find a way to circumvent that. Otherwise, I will never be able to examine your soul in close detail.”  
Chara gritted their teeth and closed their eyes. They couldn’t escape the pain. It seemed to well at the center of their chest. They tried to stand against the pain. They puffed their chest out slightly. Nothing seemed to work. The machine began to beep quickly and deeply. Gaster let out a grunt of annoyance, “Your resisting is corrupting the data. It appears, for now, I will have to use the machine’s maximum capabilities.”

Gaster lowered the lever as far as it could go. The machine whirred before the beam increased to its fullest intensity. The pain in Chara’s chest increased. They began to whine and whimper. They struggled against their restraints. They let out a whimper of, “It hurts…”  
Gaster chuckled, “If you didn’t resist, it wouldn’t have to.”  
He focused on the data now streaming onto the screen, “I will have the data I need in a few short minutes. Try to endure the pain until then.”  
A few tears peaked from Chara’s eyes. The pain started to spread throughout their chest. Their whines and whimpers began to escalate to cries of pain. The pain reached their limbs. Their head. The pain encompassed their entire being. Chara began to loudly cry out in pain. Gaster sighed and turned his gaze towards Chara, “It cannot possibly hurt that-“

In that instant, a new pain triggered throughout Chara’s entire being. They felt as though their body had been harshly cleaved in twain. The pain rang throughout all of Chara’s body. Chara screamed out. Tears streamed from their eyes. Gaster’s eyes widened in fear. His eyes lit up, focused at one point in Chara’s chest; Chara’s soul. Chara couldn’t see it in their trashes, but Gaster noticed it; a thin crack formed on Chara’s soul. The crack started from the top right to just past the center of the soul.  
Gaster gasped in shock. He quickly stammered out, “No!”  
He quickly flipped the lever upwards all the way. The beam whirred down until it stopped completely. The image of Chara’s soul faded from Chara’s view. However, Gaster could still clearly see it, crack and all. He gritted his teeth as his eyes returned to normal, “Damnit. I was a fool.”

Chara’s screams and cries of pain quieted quickly. Their eyes fluttered closed. Their body slumped and relaxed on the table, no longer tightened against the restraints. Gaster’s panic increased. He quickly checked Chara’s pulse and breath. Their breath normalized. Their pulse was still fast, but it began to slow. Gaster sighed in relief, “Only unconscious. Still… I was reckless.”  
Gaster began to slowly loosen Chara’s restraints. They noticed Chara’s wrists, in particular, had marks on them from their struggles. Gaster continued to chastise himself as he took off the last restraints, “I will have to completely redesign the laser apparatus altogether. I cannot let this crack expand.”  
Gaster went to use his blue magic on Chara’s soul. He hesitated, his eyes returned to his normal white. He groaned, “No. I cannot risk it.”

He slowly picked Chara up and began to carry them over his shoulder. Chara groaned as their body settled from the gentle toss. Gaster quickly teleported back in front of Chara’s room. He entered as Chara’s eyes began to flutter open. They grunted; their pain still present but dulled. Gaster gently placed Chara on their bed before he exited the room and closed the door behind him.

Chara woke to full consciousness a few minutes later. Small pangs of pain still rang throughout their body. They curled in on themselves. They began to weep. The memory of the pain made them quake. Their mind was flooded with fear. They clutched their locket tightly. They spoke quietly to themselves, “ _I have to get out of here_.”

An excerpt from the journal of Dr. W. D. Gaster

_I’ve made a terrible mistake. Today, I had planned on beginning research on the human’s soul. However, my grossly negligent oversight and incompatible equipment has caused the unthinkable; the human’s soul has cracked. I immediately shut down the soul scanning machine and sequestered the human in its quarters. Ironically, such a machine is the only way I can assess the damage. The entire machine will have to be redesigned to scan the human’s soul, and even then, I will have to take extra care from now on. The crack is small and thin, but until such time I can fully assess the damage, I will have to restrain my use of blue magic on the human’s soul. I do not know what this will do to the human, and I highly doubt it can be healed. I will have to focus on the machine in the time being. Designing its new quarters will have to wait._


	6. The First Attempt

Chara continued to shake and sob for hours in their room. Their body felt almost numb from their shakes. The pain from their soul cracking had subsided. Yet, something felt different. Something felt wrong. There was no more pain, but no matter how many hours passed in their isolation, some shred of instinct told Chara something was gravely wrong. Something they couldn’t change. Their mind drifted to their declaration they said to themselves earlier; they had to leave this hell and leave quickly.

Chara took a deep breath. They ended their shakes and sobs. They wiped the tears from the puffy eyes. They stood. Their legs shook slightly before Chara regained the balance. Chara’s stomach gurgled and roared, empty since yesterday morning. With it came a small wave of weariness. They stood and focused. They allowed their sheer determination to fuel them. Their weariness and hunger were still there, but they were no longer consumed by it.

They went to the door and lifted the wooden panel of the door. The lights of the hallway were dimmed to a low light. No footsteps. No voices in the distance. Nothing. Chara smirked; this was their chance! They could escape! Chara lowered themselves onto their belly. They began to slide themselves under the door much like before. They made sure the panel of the door was all the way up and they pressed their left hand against it. They then pressed their right hand into the wall next to the door. Chara took a deep breath before they began to push against the door and the wall. Once more, the struggled as their shoulders scraped the edge of the door. Chara paused to take a breath before they pushed again. After a few more seconds of struggling, their shoulders popped out from under the door and into the hallway. Chara gasped. They were halfway out the door. A genuine smile flashed across their face. They successfully escaped their room.

Chara was easily able to slip their hips and legs out from under the door. They turned over and sat with their legs still under the door. They held the wooden panel of the door open before they removed their legs from under the door. They quickly and quietly closed the panel. They were out of their prison cell.

Chara turned to their right and their left. They grimaced, which way was the exit, they thought to themselves. They turned their thoughts to just before the trial. The rope. The guards. Chara’s eyes widened; Gaster led them to the elevator out of the lab! Determination flashed in their eyes. They only had to follow that path.

Chara set off. They immediately turned towards their right and sprinted down the hallway. Their bare feet pattered lightly against the cold linoleum floor. They kept their breaths quiet as they made various turns in the low-lit lab. They paused a few times at crossroads, unsure of the way to go. They selected their next turn carefully and went. They came to one final hallway. At the end was the elevator. Chara’s eyes lit up. They dashed towards it. They pressed the call button. The whirr of the elevator brought a large smile to Chara’s face. They grasped their locket. Their heart swelled, ‘ _I’m going to get out of here!_ ’

Chara paused. They looked down at the locket in their hand. Their once bright expression quickly lowered to a frown. Dread began to well in the pit of their empty stomach. It dawned on them that Gaster still had Asriel’s locket. A few tears welled in their eyes. They couldn’t just leave it with him; that was the only piece of Asriel left. Chara balled their hands into fists. One clutched their own locket tightly. They shook for a moment. They brought their locket close to their mouth. They spoke quietly and gently, as though they spoke to it, “I’m coming for you, Asriel.”

The elevator door dinged and opened. Chara ignored it and turned away this chance at immediate freedom. They wanted it, but they wanted to share it with the last vestige of their best friend. The only question was where Gaster would keep it. Chara began to step back into the lab. They shook. Instinct and fear told them this was their chance to escape this hell. Their memories drifted through the past three days. All the pain and suffering Gaster inflicted on them. His threats. His cold words. Chara hugged themselves as they shook as all the pain they felt bubbled to the surface of their mind. They shook their head. They shoved the thoughts of pain to the back of their mind. _No_ , Chara thought, _if I get out of here, I need to bring Asriel with me, too._

Chara’s feet began to move once more. They had no idea where they could begin their search. They had to try. The elevator closed behind them. They didn’t look back as they carried on back into the depths of Gaster’s lab. They had no clue where in this maze of low-lit hallways they would find Asriel’s locket, but Chara was willing to search as long as it took.

Every once in a while, Chara would see a door on either side of the current hallway. They went up to the door and pressed their ear against it. Sometimes they would hear the whirr of machines. Sometimes they’d hear nothing at all. If they heard nothing, they’d check the doorknob. Most of them were locked. The ones that weren’t were rooms much like their own with a bed. However, all these rooms had work desks in the far corner of the room on the opposite side from the neatly kept bed. Rooms that weren’t like their own were either rooms with machines or storage. A thought flashed across Chara’s mind. Could he have put Asriel’s locket in one of these storage rooms? Chara quickly rejected the thought; Gaster wouldn’t be that careless. He probably had the locket close by him or in a place all his own. They mused silently, _maybe he has an office?_

Chara continued on. They checked each door as they passed by. After countless doors, one stood out. Chara once more checked for any noise. When they heard none, they slowly opened the door. In the low light, they saw a small room with two tables on each side. There were cutting boards and other instruments strewn across both tables. Chara couldn’t see most of the instruments in the darkness of the room. There was a small refrigerator and a few cabinets that seemed to have been crammed into this small room. Chara recognized this; this room was a makeshift kitchen.

Chara’s stomach began to growl again. Chara gave a small smile; a midnight snack wouldn’t hurt. Chara entered the room. They felt the wall closest to the door and found the light switch. The room lit up, Chara could clearly see all the instruments on the tables. Their eyes widened at the sight of one set of instruments. A set of knives. Without a thought, Chara walked over to the knives. They grabbed one at random and pulled it towards them to examine it. It was a simple utility knife. Still sharp. A new idea surfaced in Chara’s mind. They tightened their grip on the knife handle. An impish grin curled across their face. A few tears peeked from their eyes. A few chuckles escaped their grin. Their hands began to shake before they spoke their realization, “I could… kill him. With this. Then I would be free.”  
Chara’s shakes stopped. They looked towards the refrigerator for a moment. They muttered, “Then I can grab what is stored and run.”  
They turned towards the door. They lowered the hand with the knife and held their locket with the other. They spoke gently, “You’ll be avenged soon. Asriel. Mother. Father.”

Chara left the room. They turned off the light and closed the door behind them. They began to sprint through the halls. Their steps quick and light on the balls of their feet. They decided to move deep into the lab, towards their room and the examination room. Before long, they came across a door with a plate on it. It held Gaster’s name. Chara’s eyes widened. They stopped at the door. They took care to listen for anything behind the door longer than before. No such sounds. They hesitated to open the door. They grasped the knob and turned it carefully. The door creaked open. Chara quickly reached for the light switch. Chara saw no monster within. Only a desk strewn with paperwork and a few filing cabinets behind it. It was nothing but a small office. They saw small objects on top of the cabinets. One of which caught their eye. Part of a chain dangled from the top of one of the cabinets. One that strikingly resembled the golden colored chain of their own locket. Chara beamed; _it must be Asriel’s locket!_

Chara ran up to the cabinet. They tried to reach up for the dangling chain. The cabinet was obviously built for Gaster’s height, as Chara could only reach just above halfway. Chara grunted as they continued their attempts for a few moments. They relaxed and huffed. They looked around the room for a moment. They noticed two chairs in the room, one behind and one in front of the desk. Chara grabbed the chair behind the desk. They noticed it was a wheeled chair. They wheeled it over against the cabinet swiftly. They climbed up on the chair and found it began to move away from the cabinet. In a panic, Chara reached out toward the cabinet. Their hand only skimmed an edge. Chara grunted before they leaped from the chair onto the file cabinet. Chara hugged the top. They quickly noticed the chain and what it was attached to; a simple key. Chara hissed, “It’s not the locket?!”

Chara noticed something change. They heard a creaking sound. Their eyes widened as they noticed their world tipped, or rather, the cabinet. Chara yelped before they jumped off the cabinet, out of the way of its fall. It fell to the floor with a large crash noise. Chara heard the sound echo throughout the hallways. They stood there and shook. They wanted to move, to run, but their feet refused to move for a few moments. They had dropped the knife in their shakes.

Chara heard a familiar sound behind them. Chara let out a startled gasp as they turned towards the sound to see Gaster behind them. He glared down at Chara, though weariness bled through his expression. His eyes lit up before a cage of bones surrounded Chara in an instant. He spoke in an exasperated tone, “How did you get out?”  
He sighed before he continued, “I’ll deal with you in the morning.”  
Chara felt a sharp pain strike the back of their head. They tried to keep on their feet. Their weariness and the dizziness of the strike forced them to fall on their knees. Chara caught themselves with their hands, yet even their hands began to shake. Chara closed their eyes and fell to the floor. Their mind swam in a half-conscious state. Unable to fully respond, but not fully asleep.

With a tired groan, Gaster scooped up Chara into his arms. He grumbled to himself, “You somehow escape and yet you choose to trash my office instead of run.”  
As Gaster knelt down to scoop up Chara, he noticed the chained key on the floor. He frowned at it and picked it up off the floor. He stared at it, then Chara for a second. He groaned to himself, “I must have forgotten to lock the door. How idiotic.”  
He quietly took Chara back to their room. He opened the door, which was unlocked, before he placed Chara on their bed. He left and made sure he locked the door behind him.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chara woke up to a knock on their door. They gasped and sat up in their bed. Dread and fear crawled across their face. Their mind was not fully in the present. Alphys’s voice broke the spell, “Chara? Did I wake you?”  
Chara relaxed slightly. Their cold sweat subsided. They were silent for a moment as they collected their thoughts of the previous night. They groaned and cupped their face. They failed to escape. They failed to find Asriel’s locket. They grasped their own locket and gritted their teeth. They were still in this hell.  
Alphys’s voice cut through their thoughts once more, “Chara? Are you still asleep?”  
Chara relaxed their grip on their locket. They sighed, “No. I am awake.”  
Alphys gave a sigh of relief, “I was worried.”

She lifted the lower panel of the door and slid a tray under. This tray held a fruit salad, a glass of water, and a small, personal-sized loaf of bread. Steam wafted from the bread, spreading an appetizing smell through Chara’s room. Chara noticed the food. Their stomach immediately growled in response. Chara slowly stood from their bed. They made their way over to the tray and began to eat the bread without any hesitation. Alphys hear Chara rip the bread with their teeth. Chara let out a small, “Ow! Hot!”  
Alphys replied worriedly, “S-sorry! I just finished making it!”  
Chara blew on the bread a few times before they began to chomp down on the bread quickly but carefully. They finished their bread in a few short moments before they moved on to the fruit salad. Alphys spoke calmly, “So, um… what happened yesterday… Dr. Gaster seemed… well… upset.”

Chara lowered the now empty bowl. They gritted their teeth and began to shake. They grasped their locket as they shook. Chara’s voice wavered as they spoke, “He… he hurt me.”  
Alphys sat down next to the door. She spoke nervously, “How?”  
Chara hugged themselves tightly, “He said… he only wanted to examine my soul… but… the device… it hurt. It hurt until I felt it throughout every cell in my body…”  
A few tears began to escape Chara’s eyes. Their voice began to waver, “And then… it felt like something tore me in asunder. All at once. Everywhere in my body.”  
Chara began to weep. Alphys kneeled towards the door panel. She spoke softly, “Chara… I…”  
Chara continued, “The worst part is the pain is gone, but… I feel something different. I cannot shake it. It feels… wrong. As though there is a scar somewhere I cannot see.”  
Alphys blinked, “A scar you can’t see?”

She mulled it over for a minute before she spoke, “Wait! I-I think it’s your soul! You said Dr. Gaster wanted to examine your soul, right?”  
Chara sniffled before they affirmed, “Yes…”  
Alphys frowned, “Then… the damage, all that pain… I think he may have hurt your soul.”  
A fact sprung to their mind; the soul was their entire being. Without it, their body would be but a husk. They heard Alphys whine, “Oooh, I never heard of a human’s soul cracking without anyone trying to eat it. I don’t know what that could even do to you! Can it be repaired? Ooohh, he’s probably going to make me monitor all of that, too…”  
A deep voice cut through Alphys’s panic, “That will not be necessary, Alphys.”

Alphys jumped to the side. She let go of the door panel. She yelped and sputtered out, “D-Dr. Gaster!”  
Chara gasped. They scooted away from the door almost instinctually. Alphys spoke nervously, “I- I didn’t hear you walk up! I only-“  
Gaster raised his hand. Alphys quieted immediately. Gaster spoke calmly, “Has the human finished its meal?”  
Alphys curled inwards, “I-I’m not sure. I woke them up not too long ago. I just need to check.”  
Alphys began to kneel down towards the panel of the door. Gaster spoke, “Or, we could simply unlock the door.”  
Gaster dug out the key from his pocket. Alphys stood up, but lowered her head, “R-right…”

Gaster calmly unlocked the door. Chara stood near the center of the room. They scowled at Gaster. They held a fighting stance, but they shook a little bit. They had not wiped the tears from their eyes. Gaster looked down to see the tray of food with nothing but a bowl and an empty glass. Gaster frowned before he spoke, “It appears so. Collect the tray. I will be taking the human for now.”  
Alphys spoke submissively, “What are you going to do with them?”  
Gaster began to approach Chara, “The human tried to escape last night. It needs to be taught a lesson.”

Chara threw a punch as Gaster got close. Gaster easily caught Chara’s punch. With his other hand, Gaster grasped a bundle of Chara’s hair and began to pull it upwards. Chara yelped. Their free hand went to Gaster’s. They tried to pull their hair free with only one hand. They began to squirm. They tried to pull their clutched hand out. They protested, “Let go of me!”  
Gaster frowned as Chara continued to struggle and protest, “You are in no position to be making demands. Now, you will either follow, or I will drag you by your hair and make you follow. I would not suggest making your punishment worse for yourself.”  
Gaster let go of Chara’s hand but kept a firm hold of their hair. He dug into his pocket and pulled out Asriel’s locket. He held it so Chara could clearly see it. Chara noticed it quickly. They relaxed both their hands as let out a small gasp. Gaster spoke coldly, “Otherwise, this locket could become like its previous owner. Dust.”

Chara focused on Asriel’s locket. _So that’s where he is keeping it_ , Chara thought. Their anger slowly faded. They relaxed as much as they could with Gaster holding them up by their hair. Gaster smirked down at Chara, “Good.”  
He let go of their hair. Chara dropped to their knees. They heard Gaster instruct them, “Follow closely. If I hear you run the other way, your punishment will be worse.”

Chara stood slowly. They scowled at Gaster as he turned away towards the door. Chara decided to follow him out of the room. They saw Alphys stood out of the doorway. She held the tray and gave a sorrowful look. As Chara passed by, she whispered to them, “I’m sorry, Chara.”  
Chara shook slightly but continued on. Part of them feared what came next. They realized they had to be patient. They had to wait for their opportunity to strike.


	7. Dark Truths

The walk through the lab hallways was silent for Gaster and Chara. Chara kept their head down and diverted their gaze the entire walk. Hints of scowls occasionally dawned on their face. They kept their arms close to their chest and to their locket. Their eyes drifted to the pocket which housed Asriel’s pocket. They gave themselves a new, silent vow; _I’ll get Asriel’s locket and escape this hell_.

Gaster stopped and turned to a simple door. He quickly opened the door and flipped the light switch inside. He stepped beside the doorframe as he turned to Chara with a calm expression, “In here.”  
Chara lifted their gaze and narrowed their eyes. Suspicion grew. Chara carefully stepped past Gaster and into the room. It was a small room with shelves lining the sides. In the center of the room was a familiar sight; the knife Chara had found last night. Chara’s eyes widened for a moment before it calmed down to only one raised brow. They took a few steps towards the knife as Gaster entered the room. He closed and locked the door behind him with a familiar click. Chara sharply turned back towards Gaster. They lowered themselves into a fighting stance, despite no knife in their hand. They scowled deeply. They were ready for anything.

Gaster frowned in response. He spoke calmly with a claw pointed towards the knife, “Go ahead. Take it.”  
Chara did not move. Their eyes narrowed further. Their hands curled into tight fists. Their tone was low, “What are you planning?”  
Gaster chuckled lightly. He held his hands behind his back, “I found this knife in my office while I was cleaning up your little mess from last night. I realized you were plotting to find and kill me.”  
He reached into his pocket, “And, of course, retrieve this.”  
Gaster held Asriel’s locket aloft. The chain intertwined with his claws. The locket itself hung limply as it slowly tried to reorient with gravity. Chara’s eyes were drawn to the swinging locket. Their scowl deepened as Gaster continued to speak, “It’s about time I showed you once and for all the difference of our skill and power. Try as you might, but you will not take this locket from me.”  
An impish grin curled across his skull, “I highly doubt you could make me move at all.”  
Chara began to step back towards the knife, “I injured you before. I can do it again.”  
Gaster’s expression softened slightly. He rolled his eye sockets. A dry tone escaped him, “I can assure that you will not be able to graze me, much less deal such a severe injury, ever again.”

Chara didn’t respond. They slowly made their way to the center of the room. They kept their body facing Gaster. Their eyes flitted between their captor and their potential weapon. They stopped just behind the knife. They were careful to step over it. They slowly kneeled down before they quickly took up the knife. They stood. Their body instinctually lowered back to their fighting stance. The blade firmly pointed towards Gaster. Gaster smirked in response, “If you are so sure, then attack. Prove your bite is as sharp as your bark. Prove millennia of nature is wrong.”  
Chara went to move. Even to move a step. Their eyes widened. Their body began to shake. They couldn’t move. No magic cloaked their soul. No disembodied hands held them back. No bones carefully caged their movements. Nothing held them back physically. Their breath began to grow louder, more strained. They could clearly hear their heartbeat in their head. Haunting visions clouded Chara’s mind. The dream. The absolute helplessness of the trial. The inability to protect themselves the past few days. All of it linked to one primal emotion. Fear.  
Gaster saw the shakes and gave an amused smile. A chuckle escaped him before he spoke, “Perhaps you need something to kick start those killer instincts. Very well.”

He paused as he seemed to calculate silently. A dark confidence grew in his voice, “Do you want to know why the Dreemurrs were sentenced to death? Why monsterkind demanded their souls be devoured?”  
Chara said nothing. Dread welled in the pit of their stomach. Their grip on their knife’s handle tightened. Their scowl deepened. Their teeth firmly pressed together. Gaster continued, “All it took was a few well-placed bribes. One to shout out the suggestion, and a few more to bring the masses into line.”  
Chara began to shake more with Gaster’s words. Their eyes widened as Gaster continued, “I knew Toriel would do anything to horde you away again. Prison wouldn’t keep her still, especially if Asriel was still alive. And Asgore would eventually follow his family from their social pressure.”  
Tears began to well in Chara’s eyes. They finally spoke, their voice quiet from a lump in their throat, “You… it was all you…”  
Gaster replied with a hiss, “I did what I had to. To ensure no monster would ever steal you again! You keep forgetting that it has been your fault from the start! You’re the true reason I had no choice but to devour their souls!”  
Chara began to charge. They let out a scream, “SHUT UP!”

A smirk curled across Gaster’s skull. His eyes glowed with magic, locked onto Chara. A wall of bones separated the two. Chara swung their knife at the bones. One swing. Two. Five more. They tried desperately to cut through. All the while Gaster spoke, “I will show you the ways I could kill you if I wanted to. I won’t even have to use my blue magic to prove my point.”  
The wall of bones disappeared in an instance. Chara swung their blade and missed the disappearing wall. Their gaze refocused to Gaster. Their brow furrowed deeply. They opened their mouth and roared a new battle cry. They charged towards Gaster. A bone with a blunt end jettisoned from the floor. It hit Chara in the stomach. Winded, Chara fell back onto the floor to catch their breath. Gaster spoke bluntly, “Skewered through the chest by a bone. Unable to move. Dead.”  
Chara got back onto their knees before a cage of bones hindered their movements. Chara’s eyes widened. They struggled to move as Gaster spoke once again, “Trapped tightly in a multitude of bones. Unable to defend. Dead.”  
The cage of bones disappeared. Chara regained their footing before they charged again. Gaster summoned a long, blunt bone in his hand, akin to a long club. He waited a moment before he swung it at a precise speed and aim at Chara’s head. To Chara, Gaster’s arm blurred out of their vision. The bone struck their head hard. Chara cried out in pain as they fell to the side. They narrowly missed hitting the shelves to the sides of the room. They dropped their knife and held the side of their head. No blood poured, yet the skin where the bone struck was sensitive to the touch. A few tears peaked from Chara’s eyes. They curled in on themselves as Gaster spoke again “Blow to the head. Disoriented and too focused on the potential wound to defend. Dead.”

Chara shook. Their sight became disoriented from the blow to the head. Fear once more drifted through their conscious mind. They tried to shake their head to dispel the fear. It returned with only a quick glance towards Gaster. Confusion drew across Chara’s face. Why were they paralyzed? They faced him before, it should be easy to fight him. They hated him. They wanted to escape. They wanted to get Asriel’s locket from him. Yet, despite all those desires, their body refused to move. A realization ran through them; they truly feared him. They are powerless like this.

Gaster noticed Chara’s shakes and pauses. He raised a brow, “I didn’t strike hard enough for you to bleed. I’d easily smell it. Continue your attempts. Your punishment is not over.”  
He held the locket further from his chest, just enough for Chara to reach when close, “Or do you not care that I hold his locket in my claws?”  
Chara’s shakes stopped. They lowered their hands from their head to reveal a fresh bruise. Most of it was hidden by their hair. They grasped their knife and slowly stood. They used their free hand to wipe their tears. Determination returned to their gaze, aimed squarely at Gaster. Without a word or sound, Chara charged once again. They raised their knife, poised to strike in a slash. They got close. They brought the blade down.

In a quick and simple motion, Gaster caught Chara by the wrist. The knife now trapped in Chara’s trapped grip. Chara’s eyes widened for a moment. They stood, their free arm at their side. They shook. Gaster gave a dark chuckle, “Even now I see many ways I could kill you if I wanted to. I could…”  
Gaster squeezed Chara’s wrist tightly. Chara grunted and whined as Gaster continued to squeeze their wrist and speak, “Crush your wrist to disarm you, rendering you defenseless. Dead.”  
Chara tightened their grip on their knife, determined not to let go. Gaster loosened his grip on Chara’s wrist but still held it tightly. He brought up his other hand, with Asriel’s locket intermixed with his claws. He spoke, “With my claws alone I could cut your throat for you to bleed out. I could disembowel you for a more painful death. Or I could simply aim and remove your still beating heart. All of it and plenty more ways could result in your death.”  
He looked towards the locket, his tone turned to a dark sympathy, “Oh… but then this locket would be stained with your blood.”  
He flashed an impish grin, “Perhaps it would be poetic, then?”

Chara’s eyes slowly turned towards Asriel’s locket. They reached for it with their free hand, yet Gaster held it just out of reach. Chara could barely touch it with their middle finger. It was tantalizing to them. With that, Gaster pulled the locket fully out of Chara’s reach. Chara could only watch as this was done. Tears began to well in their eyes. Their arm lowered to their own locket. Their eyes closed. Their knees began to give out. Gaster let go of Chara’s wrist and let them fall to their knees. Chara’s tears began to fall. Gaster looked down at Chara with an even expression, “Now, do you finally understand? You cannot kill me. You cannot even wound me. You are powerless against me. It is in our nature as predator and prey. And yet I am the only thing that can keep you safe.”  
Chara silent sobs went undeterred. Gaster relaxed and returned Asriel’s locket to his pocket. He spoke calmly, “Now that you’ve been brought into reality, you are going back to your room. You will stay there as I work. You will not attempt to escape again, or the consequences will be more severe. Do you understand?”

Chara was hesitant to move. They slowly looked up towards Gaster, still with tears streaming down their face. Their mouth moved, but a lump in their throat prevented no more than a creak. They took a deep breath before they swallowed the lump away. Their voice was quiet as they spoke two simple words, “I… understand…”  
Gaster smirked. Chara stood. The knife was left on the floor. Chara immediately turned their gaze away from Gaster. One hand grasped their locket while the other hand held their elbow to support the hand that held the locket.

With no further words exchanged, Gaster led Chara back to their room and closed the door behind them. They heard the familiar click sound of their door locking. Chara sat down on their bed, still clutching their locket tightly. Loud sobs suddenly erupted from Chara. They laid down on their bed. They jumped back up with a gasp. They held the bruise on their head carefully. They carefully flipped over to their other side to lie down. With this whole ‘punishment’ one thing did sink in for Chara; they were powerless against Gaster.

\---------------------------------------------------------

A heavy debate rang in Chara’s mind as they laid still in their room. On the one hand, it had become immediately apparent that they could not win against Gaster in a fight. The latest encounter with him proved that and more. On the other hand, some recesses of their mind still housed defiance. Thoughts that they could defeat him, given the chance. Their fear thrashed back with the list of all Gaster’s powers. Their defiance defended with their skills. This self-argument caused a headache and seemed to rage on for hours.

A knock awoke Chara from their thoughts, accompanied by Alphys’s voice, “Chara? You’re there, right?”  
Chara’s eyes blinked open. They held their head with a groan. The pain of the bruise had subsided. Their headache, however, had not. They spoke, tired and pained, “Yes. I am here.”  
Chara raised a brow. Was it the evening already? They didn’t feel hungry yet. They heard Alphys speak again, “It’s not dinner time yet… but… can we talk?”  
Chara shrugged, “What else could I possibly do with you while I’m in here?”  
Alphys sounded relieved, “Oh… right. Um… Can I… come in?”  
Chara approached the door slowly, “You know I have no key.”  
Chara heard a slight jungle sound before Alphys spoke, “Well, I have a key. I… I’m not supposed to use it unless there’s an emergency… but-“

Chara’s eyes widened. Could it be? A way out? Emotions flooded back into Chara. Their heart raced. Chara interrupted Alphys, their voice rang with a slight desperation, “You could let me out.”  
Alphys was silent. Chara stood in front of the door, patiently waiting for an answer. Eventually, Alphys replied, “Chara… I… I can’t.”  
Chara felt their heart sank. They leaned their forehead against the door. Their voice turned to pleads, “You have to. You have the key. You can unlock the door and step aside.”  
Alphys’s voice wavered, “Chara… I can’t let you out. He’ll get mad and-“  
Chara shouted desperately, “He will get mad either way!”  
Tears started to peak from Chara’s eyes. They began to shake. Sobs erupted from them as they spoke, “He won’t stop! He will continue to hurt me regardless of what I do!”  
Chara lowered themselves onto their knees. Their voice quieted, “Please.”  
Alphys sighed. They spoke slowly, hesitating to speak, “Chara… he’s more than just my boss… or… he will be soon. Everyone is being asked who they’d like to be the new ruler of monsterkind and… so far… it looks like Dr. Gaster will win… by a landslide.”  
Chara’s shakes stopped as Alphys continued, “So… e-even if I did let you out… there’d… be nowhere to run.”

Chara sat against the cold stone floor of their room. They sat against the door. This new information sunk their heart further. The tears that welled in their eyes began to slowly flow down their cheeks. They held their locket with their right hand. They heard Alphys speak in a solemn, apologetic voice, “I’m sorry, Chara. I really do want to help you… but… I don’t want him to hurt you, either.”  
Chara shook their head, “He will hurt me regardless. He has already taken everything from me, and yet he makes me suffer further. He killed and ate my family. He locked me in here. He caused immeasurable pain! I…”  
Chara curled in on themselves, “I… don’t know how long I can stay determined. I don’t want to break…”

The panel of the door suddenly lifted. The light of the hallway flooded onto the stone floor of Chara’s room. Chara jumped slightly. They turned towards the door to see a peculiar sight. A clawed, scaled hand with a white-sleeved arm. Alphys’s arm. Alphys spoke, “It’s… not much… but… when I was younger… holding my parents’ hands helped me.”  
Chara stared at the clawed hand. Was this some sort of trick? What would happen if they did grab the hand? Chara shook away the distrust. Alphys was too naive to stoop to such tricks. Chara sat against the wall next to the door once again. They used their free hand and slowly took hold of Alphys’s hand. The palm barely had any scales and was warm to the touch. The edges of the claws were smooth and cared for, only sharp at the tip, far from Chara’s skin. Chara’s hand was gently pulled under the door to an angle that both could hang comfortably. Chara silently let their tears fall. For the first time in their conscious memory, Chara smiled gently in the confines of their prison. They closed their eyes. They fully amerced themselves in the warmth. They could almost feel the memory of the fireplace in the Dreemurr home. The warmth that no matter how close did not burn them. The scent of cinnamon-butterscotch pie. The touch of any of the Dreemurrs’ fur. A happy time.

The two stayed there for what seemed like hours. Eventually, Alphys spoke up, “Did… it help?”  
Chara opened their eyes. Their memory ripped away from them. Reality back in place. Yet, somehow, their sorrow had lessened. Chara gave a deep sigh of relief. They replied gently, “A little.”  
Alphys smiled, “Are you ready to let go?”  
Chara frowned. They didn’t want to let go. Yet, they knew there was no way both of them could stay like this forever. Chara replied in a small sorrow, “Yes.”  
Alphys let go of Chara’s hand. A majority of the warmth Chara felt disappeared with it. Alphys stood as she spoke, “I’ll be back later with dinner. We’ll talk and relax more then, okay?”  
Chara made a noise of affirmation. Alphys smiled, “Okay… bye…”  
Chara replied quietly, “…Bye.”

Alphys made her way through the lab to her own quarters. She was silent, thinking the whole way. Not only of what she could possibly cook for Chara tonight but of their mental state as well. It had only been four days since they’ve been here and yet they’ve been beaten, bruised, cracked, and worst of all, forced to watch their family die in front of them. She hugged herself. She felt horrible about not unlocking the door for Chara. She sighed; everything she said was basically true. Even if Chara did leave the lab they’d either be returned or killed.

A voice interrupted her thoughts suddenly, “There you are, Alphys.”  
She jumped. She hadn’t noticed where she had been going if she couldn’t see Dr. Gaster turn the corner in front of her. She replied nervously, “um… I was just… checking on the human.”  
Gaster frowned, “You didn’t treat the bruise, did you?”  
Alphys’s eyes widened, “Th-There was a bruise!? I’m so sorry! I didn’t notice! I didn’t even go in the room!”  
Gaster shook his head lightly and put his hand behind his back, “No. I do not want you treating that wound. I gave it the wound because it tried to escape. With it, the human should begin to learn to stay.”

Alphys fiddled with her claws, “I… um… I told them about the election… and how it was bad to be out of the lab.”  
Gaster appeared surprised for a second before he flashed a genuine smile, “That was a smart move, Alphys. I am glad you are learning techniques on how to control the human as well.”  
Alphys lowered her head, “Well… maybe if we just… talk to them… Chara will listen.”  
Gaster raised a hand to the scar Chara caused, “As I have said before, Alphys, it was the human who gave me this scar. It refused to talk. It only responded with violence. Unfortunately, such creatures only listen when you respond in kind.”  
He lowered his arm, “However… should you manage to get the human to listen, perhaps I will reconsider my methods.”  
Alphys’s expression brightened, “Oh! Thank you!”  
Gaster’s expression dropped to a frown, “But, only if this technique gets results. I want a clear report of these methods as soon as results are found. Understand?”  
Alphys nodded, “Yes, sir!”

Gaster seemed to dig into a deep pocket, “Good. Now, I have something for you.”  
Alphys raised a brow silently. She saw Gaster present a metal canister, just bigger than an average soup can. Alphys took the canister and gave a confused look, “Um… what is it?”  
Gaster relaxed slightly, “This is your portion of the substitute. It should last a month and a half to two months. Take only one pill a day.”  
Alphys tensed. Her gaze focused on the canister. She knew that inside was little pills made with Chara’s blood. Pangs of guilt ran through her. She visibly frowned. Gaster raised a ‘brow’ at this, “Is something wrong?”  
Alphys shook her head vigorously, “No- nothing! I just… I didn’t think it would be… finished so soon…”  
Gaster spoke bluntly, “I have not used all of the blood as of yet, I simply chose to give you the first supply I completed.”  
He turned away from Alphys, “Make sure you document how much the substitute boosts your energy.”  
Alphys quietly responded, “Yes, sir.”

Gaster quietly left Alphys alone in the hallway. Alphys stood there, many emotions bubbled throughout her being. Guilt most of all. Yet, her instincts fought back. She silently opened the container with a few twists of the cap. The smell wafted over. She drooled in response. Her eyes locked onto the small, soft pills. Her instincts pulled to the front of her mind. One pill wouldn’t hurt, right? Her other hand gently took the topmost pill in her claw. She held it in front of her face. Slowly brought it close to her mouth.

A pause. A sudden snap back to her senses. Alphys remembered an important fact; this was Chara’s blood. The previous conversation flooded back into her thoughts. A few tears peeked from her eyes. She lowered the pill back into the canister and twisted it closed. Alphys walked back to her room in silence. Guilt once more consumed her thoughts.


	8. The River's Aid

It had been quite a long day for Gaster. He had to wake up early that day to put his office back into order. He had to pull precious time from developing the substitute to teach the human a lesson so it could _hopefully_ stay put within its room. He’s also been constantly updated via phone about the election results while he continued to produce the substitute. He rolled his eye sockets; an election was a strong word for many monsters going door to door to confirm he’d be the new king of monsterkind. Gaster grimaced at that word. _King_. The previous had been such a fool. Did he really want such foolishness associated with himself?

A ringing sound interrupted Gaster’s thoughts. He sighed and turned his attention away from the congealing substitute. He picked up a cell phone, place away from the substitute equipment. He answered calmly, despite his annoyance at this constant interruption, “Yes?”  
A voice answered, “Dr. Gaster, sir, we’ve made the final tallies.”  
Gaster raised a brow, “And? Still no one to oppose?”  
The voice replied, “No, sir. No one volunteered and no one suggested another candidate. There are those that said no but offered no alternative. So…”  
Gaster sighed, “So it is practically unanimous.”  
The voice affirmed, “Yes, sir. Congratulations, your majesty.”

Gaster grimaced, “If it’s all the same with monsterkind, I do not want the specific title of king. The foolishness of the previous could follow such title.”  
The voice seemed to mull it over, “Well… we could just call you the Leader of Monsterkind and still address you as Dr. Gaster.”  
Gaster affirmed, “That would be suitable for the meantime. Thank you.”  
The voice gave a grateful tone, “Of course, sir. I’ll be sure to spread the news at once! Goodbye.”

The call ended. Gaster placed the phone once more away from his equipment. It was done. No one stepped forth to formally oppose his rule. He frowned; this did not mean there wouldn’t be problems with the population. In fact, he expected some to not be comfortable with his rule. ‘Perhaps the trial scared off any potential political opponents’, he mused silently. He shook those thoughts away for the moment. They weren’t as important as the substitute. He turned back towards the substitute without another thought.

———————————————————————————

The evening went by with no issue. Chara and Alphys talked about little things for hours after Alphys gave Chara their dinner. Alphys had to scoop Chara into their bed once she found they had fallen asleep during their long conversation. It was then that she saw the bruise Gaster had inflicted. She grimaced; it swelled greatly on their head. She accidentally gave the bruise a light touch. Chara winced but did not stir. Alphys tucked them into bed to sleep in peace.

Chara woke calmly. They groaned. How much time had passed? How long did they talk with Alphys the previous night? Chara moved their left hand to gingerly touch the bruise on their head. Not as sensitive, but still tender to the touch.  
Chara’s thoughts drifted to yesterday. Their ‘punishment’. Alphys’s comfort. Alphys’s words hung in their mind. If what she said was correct, Gaster would be king soon. He would be the absolute authority in the underground. No one would question his rule. There would be nowhere to hide.

Chara blinked. An idea flashed through their mind. There _was_ a monster that would question his rule. One that seemed to know unique channels throughout the underground. Riverperson. Chara grimaced; they remembered Riverperson said they couldn’t fight Gaster. But, maybe, just maybe, they could help Chara escape.

Determination returned to their gaze. A new plan formed. If they were quick and quiet, they could make it to the elevator. Yet, something made them hesitate. They looked down and held their locket in their hand. If they left now, they couldn’t get Asriel’s locket from Gaster. They grasped their locket tightly and gritted their teeth. A few tears budded as they silently fought with themselves. They wanted the locket, but they knew fighting Gaster for it would be nearly impossible. Another thought crossed their mind; Riverperson retrieved their locket before, they could rescue Asriel’s as well. As long as Gaster was near the river.

Chara stood from their bed with a nod and a determined smirk. Their plan was in place. They went to the door and once more slipped under it as quietly as they could. The lights were on. Alphys had not come with their breakfast yet. They had to be quick. They ran as fast as their legs could take them. They turned down many different hallways. They roughly knew the path to take. It wasn’t long before they found the elevators once more. Chara slammed their hand onto the call button. They immediately heard the whir of the elevator’s descent. Their eyes constantly shifted behind them, paranoid their captor would appear any second. The doors opened. Chara quickly ran inside and rode the elevator up. They readied themselves to run the moment the doors opened. The doors were slow to open. Chara slipped through the instance they saw a wide enough opening. They turned towards the main doorway, not focused on the area around them. They heard whirs of machines, but no voices. Their eyes widened as they approached the main doorway. With a press of a button beside the door, the doors flew open. Chara ran out with no hesitation.

As they exited the building, they felt a large smile dawn on their face. A joyful laugh began to echo from them. Their feet flew as they dashed away from the lab, from their prison. The heat of Hotland, though fearsome, was a welcome change from the cool lab and its cold floors. They turned left. The stairs in their sight. Their vision focused solely on the stairs. Their freedom was in their sights. Chara only slowed their pace down the stairs to avoid tripping. A sense of calm washed over them as they heard the sounds of the flowing river. Riverperson was not there at the dock. The bell hung as it always had. Chara immediately ran up and rang the bell desperately. Their feet never stopped moving, running in place. Their eyes darted, unsure which way or even if Riverperson would come.

A gentle creek of wood echoed from the left of the river bank. Chara looked towards it. Their feet finally settled on the ground. Tears budded from their eyes as they saw a familiar cat-faced boat float gently towards them. Riverperson stood just behind the cat face as always. Their posture straight ahead until their boat finally docked. Chara sniffled. A few tears peeked from their eyes. Their voice cracked as they spoke out the figure’s name, “Riverperson…”  
Riverperson turned towards Chara. Their voice stilted at first, “Tra la la…”  
Their voice turned to relief, “Chara… You are well! I had heard such rude things about you and your family.”  
Chara stepped onto Riverperson’s boat. Their words turned to pleads, “Please… I just want to leave. Anywhere. Preferably someplace hidden. I promise I’ll explain everything there.”  
Riverperson turned forward, “I will take the tributaries. Please sit and rest.”  
Riverperson’s boat pulled away from the shore. Away from Hotland. Away from Gaster’s lab.

A few minutes of silence pervaded the boat. Chara had whipped their tears away. They clutched their locket tightly. Guilt held firm in the pit of their stomach. They hesitated to speak. Riverperson spoke calmly, “Do you feel comfortable talking yet?”  
Chara curled in on themselves and sighed, “No… but I should. I do not know where I should begin…”  
Riverperson turned the boat to a smaller tributary as they spoke, “When I last saw little Asriel, he said the man to speaks in hands had taken you.”  
Chara hugged themselves, “Mother, Father, and Asriel saved me… but…”  
A lump formed in their throat. They gulped it down. Their voice shook, “He stole me again. I’ve been trapped in his lab for five days now. Nothing but torture and misery.”  
Tears formed again. They breathed in slowly and with some struggle. Chara gripped their arms tightly, “But the worst he has done… he… he killed and…”  
Chara closed their eyes tightly. Tears fell from their eyes. They struggled to speak, “He… _ate_ them!”  
Riverperson’s tone turned solemn, “So… those rude words were true… how awful. Toriel… Asgore… even little Asriel… they did not deserve such a horrible fate.”

Riverperson’s boat slowly came to a stop along the river. Chara had begun to sob once more. Riverperson turned towards Chara. For the first time since Chara had met Riverperson, Riverperson stepped away from the head of the boat. No sounds could be heard for footsteps. Nothing other than the soft flutter of Riverperson’s cloak. Still, no matter how Riverperson moved, none of Riverperson’s features could be seen. They lowered themselves close to Chara. Chara noticed and looked up from their sobs, “I know you said you cannot fight him, but… is it possible for you to hide me from him? There must be some nook or cranny of the underground that is safe.”  
Riverperson stood tall, “Hmmm…”  
They crooked their head, “While many places exist that he does not know about… other monsters do. I fear while you would be safe from him, you would not be safe from the rest.”  
Chara clung to Riverperson’s cloak, “Please… I beg of you! There must be somewhere! Anywhere!”  
Riverperson sighed as they looked down at Chara, “…There is… one place… if he does not think of it.”  
Chara’s eyes turned to desperation. They spoke quietly, “Where? Please! Take me there!”  
Riverperson spoke solemnly, “Chara, you must understand. This place I speak of is far different than any you have seen. If you truly wish to go there, you must trust me completely.”  
Chara took their hands off of Riverperson’s cloak. They stood and looked up at Riverperson. Determination returned to their gaze. They spoke in a serious tone, “I trust you, Riverperson.”  
Riverperson spoke calmly, “Very well, Chara. If that is what you desire, I will grant you a safe haven inside of me.”  
Chara’s eyes widened in shock. They shook slightly, “Inside… you?”

Riverperson turned forward sharply, “The bell at Hotland has been rung!”  
Riverperson’s boat began to move gently along the river once more. Chara pleaded once more, “No! Please, Riverperson! I’m still here!”  
Riverperson returned to the head of the boat, “I must answer the call, Chara. Such order keeps me… myself…“  
Chara approached them, “It could be him! I… Wait! You can hide me within you!”  
Riverperson turned toward Chara, “Then, you accept?”  
Chara gulped. Their voice wavered, “If it will keep me safe, I accept.”  
Riverperson nodded, “I ask you to close your eyes. I fear you will not like what you see inside. I promise that I will not digest a single cell of your body while you are within.”

Chara nodded back. They breathed in deeply and closed their eyes. They relaxed their body and stood before Riverperson. They felt something grab ahold of their entire body. They stiffened at first but then relaxed. Their feet no longer touched the boat. They felt themselves pulled up towards Riverperson. They dared not open their eyes. They heard the sound of the cloak flutter as it passed by their ears. They braced themselves. No tightness came. No wetness. Nothing. They felt themselves let go and gently fall. Soon they found themselves floating, signaled by no more wind around them. Yet they could still breathe. They kept their eyes tightly shut during their descent. They relaxed their eyelids slightly. Their eyes fluttered open. Darkness surrounded them with no light source to be seen. Despite this, they could see themselves clearly. Their eyes widened as they saw what else surrounded them. They gasped and covered their mouth in shock. Bodies. Numerous bodies floated around them. They dotted this endless expanse of black. Most of them were monsters, but Chara could see a few humans in the distance. All were somehow preserved, except for parts of bodies that disappeared. Some were reduced to souls. Chara noticed a nearby monster; a familiar Aaron. His arms were slowly disappearing, at a nearly unnoticeable rate. No blood or dust from any of the wounds. Not on any monster or human.

Chara almost screamed. Tears poured from their eyes. They closed them once more to no longer see the horrific sight.

————————————————————————

“Chara? Are you awake?” Alphys knocked on the door to Chara’s room. She held a tray of food with the other hand. She patiently waited for Chara’s reply as always. This time was different. There was no response. She raised a worried brow, “Chara? Are you okay?”  
She knocked on the door again. No response. Alphys put the tray down beside the door. A worried expression came over her. She pulled out her key. This constituted an emergency, right? Alphys quickly unlocked the door. She carefully peeked inside. Through the darkness, she could barely see the bed in the room. She noticed it was flat, nothing dwelled within. Alphys’s eyes flew wide open. She opened the door just as wide. No one was inside. Chara was gone. Alphys shook, “No… oh no no no! Chara! This isn’t funny!”  
She flipped the switch in the room and checked every dark spot. No Chara to be found. She exclaimed, “I gotta tell Dr. Gaster!”

Alphys ran out of the room and down the hall. She followed the scent of blood to find the substitute room. She pounded her fist on the door. She called out, “Dr. Gaster! It’s about Chara! They-“  
She heard Gaster’s voice behind her. He interrupted her in an annoyed tone, “This had better be impor-“  
Alphys interrupted Gaster in a panic, “Chara’s gone! They’ve escaped!”  
Gaster’s eyes began to glow. His teeth gritted his teeth and glowered deeply. He quickly grabbed Alphys by the shoulder and teleported. Alphys stood there in confusion as she was suddenly in another room; the one with the cameras, the surveillance room. She turned around a few times before she saw Gaster had already approached the machines and began to rewind and adjust multiple cameras. Alphys turned to her boss confused, “What was… we were just.”  
Gaster continued to search, “I can teleport, Alphys, now help me find the human.”  
Alphys blinked, confused and unable to take the information in. She approached, “Um… sure…”

Her eyes turned to the screens as Gaster adjusted them. She noticed something on the cameras just outside the lab, a playback of mere minutes ago. She pointed to the screen and exclaimed, “Th-There! Just outside the lab!”  
Gaster turned his gaze to the screen Alphys pointed to. He carefully watched the playback footage, “That wasn’t too long ago… but where could it have…”  
The two saw Chara ran to the riverside entrance. Gaster paused. He stood tall and smirked. He chuckled lightly, “I see…”  
Alphys looked over at her boss, “Sir?”  
Gaster’s expression calmed. He turned away from the cameras. He spoke calmly, “Don’t worry Alphys. I shall retrieve the human without any issue. I only need to see an old acquaintance.”

Gaster teleported to the riverside instantaneously, leaving Alphys behind. He turned towards the bell at the riverside. He reached out and rung it without hesitation. His eyes drifted to the hole in his hands. A certain memory resurfaced in his mind. He tightened his hand into a fist. He focused once more on the river. He narrowed his eyes, now back to their normal white. Riverperson hadn’t appeared as of yet. Were they ferrying someone else? Was it the human?

The Riverperson’s boat gently glided into view. Only Riverperson was present on the boat. Gaster could smell traces of Chara, but have they been taken somewhere? Gaster’s eyes locked onto the Riverperson, _or could it be?…_

Riverperson’s boat docked along the shore. They spoke calmly, “Tra la la… my, how strange it is to find you on my boat once again.”  
Gaster’s expression turned serious. He stepped on the boat and spoke bluntly, “End the charade you put on, Riverperson. You know why I am here.”  
Riverperson’s head crooked, “We are here because of the barrier, of course.”  
Gaster gritted his teeth. His tone turned low, “I know the human has been here, Riverperson. You are going to tell me where it is. Right. Now.”  
Riverperson stood tall, “I have ferried many humans in the past. You’ll have to be-“  
Gaster growled, “The child that calls itself ‘Chara’! I know it has been here! I saw it run to your shore, and I know it knows about you.”  
Gaster’s tone calmed, “But then, no one _truly_ knows you. At least, none that have escaped. Except for myself, of course.”

Riverperson’s cloak began to flutter, but Riverperson said nothing. Gaster smirked in response, “I’m surprised you haven’t attacked me yet, but then again, you know you cannot defeat me.”  
Riverperson’s tone turned dark, “And yet, I gave you those wounds in your hands. I’m sure you remember that well, _Wingdings_.”  
Gaster’s good eye socket twitched at that name. He hissed, “How dare you-“  
Riverperson’s tone turned confident, “You cannot kill me. I cannot kill you. Go back to your little lab. There is nothing for you here.”

Gaster nearly hissed. His jaw hung open for a second. His eye sockets widened as something dawned on him. He relaxed and smirked, “Now I see. The human _is_ here.”  
Riverperson hissed, “They are not-“  
Gaster quickly retorted, “It’s quite rude to lie. We both know what lies past that cloak. I’ve seen it first hand. An easy place to hide if you’re careful.”  
Riverperson’s cloak stopped its fluttering. They said nothing in response. Gaster approached Riverperson and spoke loudly, “Can you hear me in there? Or have you fallen so far you cannot hear anything anymore?”  
Chara gasped sharply within Riverperson. The words were distant, but the voice was unmistakable. Chara shook and curled in on themselves. Did he know? Was this no longer a safe place?

Gaster focused again on Riverperson, “Why don’t we skip the useless battle and you simply expel the human? If you don’t, I am not afraid to dive within you to claim it. We both know how this will end.”  
Riverperson’s voice filled with venom, “I wonder how much I can digest if I solely focus on you.”  
Gaster replied with just as much venom, “I am not the young fool you once swallowed. I have mastered my teleportation. Once I see the human, I can simply teleport to their side and teleport them out.”  
His tone turned calmer, “You know this is a fight you cannot win. You cannot chase after me once I leave your sight. If you have any intelligence, you will skip all these meaningless squabbles and return my property to me!”

Inside Riverperson, Chara could hear most of the conversation. A few tears fell from their face and floated around them. They spoke out, “Don’t listen to him, Riverperson! He-He has to be bluffing! Please! You cannot give up!”  
Riverperson stood silently. Neither Gaster nor Chara could tell what Riverperon’s next move would be. Chara curled in on themselves. They begged Riverperson quietly, “Please… I don’t want to go back. Don’t let him lock me away again.”

Riverperson’s cloak began to flutter once again. They spoke for both Chara and Gaster to hear, “I have vowed to grant them safety here. I will uphold my vow!”  
Riverperson’s voice echoed within their body, only for Chara to hear, “Quickly, Chara! Swim downwards!”  
Chara quickly unfolded their body and pointed downwards. They began to kick and paddle down as though they swam underwater. Gaster frowned, “So be it.”

Gaster teleported immediately in front of Riverperson and reached towards their cloak. He felt something block his claws from entering the cloak. The force seemed to swat his claws away. Gaster teleported to the back of the boat. He smirked. Two blasters appeared on Riverperson’s left and right sides. A gasp echoed from Riverperson before they were engulfed by the blasts. They screamed out. Their cloak drooped slightly and they fell as though they were on their knees. They were silent. Within Riverperson, the area of darkness shook around Chara. They braced themselves by curling in on themselves. After a moment they turned downwards and swam once again. They noticed the bodies had moved closer together, as though the space around them had shrunk.  
Gaster gave a victorious smirk as he relaxed, “Did I forget to mention I mastered another magic after teleportation? You cannot be killed, but you can still be weakened.”

Gaster teleported in front of Riverperson again. He reached towards the cloak. This time there was nothing to block his way. He heard a groan from Riverperson, but nothing was done to stop him. He reached out another arm and allowed both to pass into Riverperson’s cloak. The rest of his body followed after. The falling sensation was familiar to him. As was the darkness he saw. A burning sensation followed soon after he entered Riverperson. Gaster gritted his teeth; he had to hurry. He turned his gaze downwards. Chara laid beyond his sight. He did see the freshest corpses, however. He quickly teleported to the group of corpses. He continued to look for the furthest body down and teleport to it. After three teleports he finally saw Chara. They were frantically swimming through the darkness, unaware of his arrival. Gaster teleported beside them. Chara instantly noticed Gaster. Their eyes widened. They screamed in terror. Gaster simply swiped out one of his clawed hands and grabbed Chara’s arm tightly. In his grasp, Chara flailed wildly. They screamed as they tried to kick and push Gaster away, but Gaster kept his grip tight as he concentrated. He pictured the boat in his mind before he finally teleported with Chara in tow. The two appeared on the boat once again. Chara barely had a few seconds to take this in. They looked toward Riverperson. Tears streamed down their face. They could see Riverperson’s head lift slightly. Chara called out in desperation, “Help-“  
Before Chara could say another word, Gaster teleported them away from the boat. The rest of Chara’s words failed to reach Riverperson.


	9. Civility

“Me!” Chara finished their pleads within a different space. They no longer saw Riverperson’s boat, but the cold stone walls of their room within Gaster’s lab. Their prison cell. Chara knew instantly their plan had failed horribly.

Their mind had no time to wander. They felt their arm squeezed tightly. They winced. They then felt themselves thrown into the nearby wall of their cell. They cried out and slunk down to the cold stone floor. Gaster glared down at them. His voice was quiet and dark, “How did you escape?”  
Chara whimpered and curled in on themselves. Their breath became heavy. They barely spoke under their breath, “I was so close…”  
Gaster growled. He swiftly grasped Chara’s hair. Chara whined and whimpered as Gaster raised them up to their tip-toes by their hair alone. He raised his voice, “How did you escape?! Answer me!”  
Chara’s eyes snapped closed. Their hands tried desperately to pull Gaster’s hand off their hair. They could feel some individual strands slowly snap or be pulled from the root on their scalp. They clenched their teeth. They didn’t say a thing–they couldn’t. Despite the horror they saw, Chara wished they were back within Riverperson. They were so close to their freedom. The fact that they were back in the lab was almost too much for them to bear.

Gaster grunted. This was getting him nowhere. Chara had locked up, they refused to interact with him at all other than whines and tears. He let go of Chara’s hair and watched as they dropped to their knees and sobbed. He stood there for a moment, mostly to calm himself. He took a deep breath and began to ponder. He _had_ to know how Chara escaped. He couldn’t let them step outside the lab again, it was an enormous risk. He relaxed his hands over his pocket. He blinked. He felt something in the pocket. He smirked. That could work.

Gaster reached into his pocket and pulled out Asriel’s locket. The gold-colored chain gave off a sound as it settled in his claws. Chara’s sobs slowly quieted at the sound of the chain. After a few seconds, they looked up. They saw Asriel’s locket once more dangling from Gaster’s claws. Gaster frowned at Chara. He spoke bluntly, “Tell me how you escaped or I will break the locket.”  
Chara’s eyes widened. They cried out, “No!"  
They tried to jump up to reach for the locket. Gaster held it out of reach. He put his index claw and thumb on each side of the locket. He smirked, “Then say goodbye.”  
Gaster began to squeeze the locket with his index claw and his thumb. Chara began to panic. They desperately tried to jump and reach the locket. Constant whines escaped them along with the constant waterfall of tears. They cried out, “Let him go! He didn’t do anything wrong!”  
Gaster glared down at Chara, “Tell me how you escaped. Now.”  
Chara hesitated, but that hesitation was all it took. They heard metal crack above them. They saw the front face of Asriel’s locket begin to crack in a near spider web pattern. They shouted out, their eyes locked onto Asriel’s locket, “The panel!”  
Gaster relaxed his claws as Chara continued with their volume normalized, “Under the door, I can fit under it! It’s… it’s how I escaped last time, too…”

They looked down and hugged themselves. They continued their sobs with no more words. Gaster relaxed and once more stowed Asriel’s locket. He turned toward the door. He kneeled down and examined the panel in the door. He gently held the panel up for a moment. His gaze drifted to Chara to confirm it. He stood and sighed, “You continue to throw my work schedule into chaos.”  
He pulls out his cell phone and begins to dial, “However, this should be simple enough for an intern to fix.”  
He finishes dialing and puts the phone to his skull. After a few moments, he speaks, “Yes. I need someone to come to the human’s room to install a lock for the panel.”  
A pause. He spoke again, “As long as they do not touch the human, I do not care who you send. I need them right away.”  
After a few moments, Gaster hung up the phone. He quickly dialed another number and spoke into the phone after another few moments, “Yes. I need someone to come guard the human for a few minutes. It found a way to escape and an intern is on their way to fix the problem.”  
A pause. He spoke again, “Yes. The sooner the better.”

Gaster hung up the phone and stowed it carefully. He noticed Chara’s sobs had simmered down to small whimpers. He turned toward Chara and spoke, “I must commend your resourcefulness. Were I any other monster, Riverperson’s stomach would have been the perfect place to hide. Even in that small amount of time, I feel they were able to chip at my bones.”  
Chara looked up at Gaster with confusion. He continued, “But I am not any other monster. I am the only one who has seen what lies inside and survived, and I suppose now you have as well.”  
He approached Chara. Chara flinched and curled in on themselves. Gaster stopped a few feet from Chara and continued, “But now, it should be obvious how futile it is for you to escape. Even if you do, I can find you easily. If I cannot, you will be returned to me quickly by the Royal Guard. As of this morning, it is official; I am the Leader of Monsterkind. No one will dare hide you from me. And if they do, they will die.”  
Chara’s eyes widened. Their mouth moved faster than their brain. They cried out in worry, “Please, don’t kill Riverperson!”  
Gaster rolled his eye sockets and spoke dryly, “As satisfying as it would be to be rid of that cloaked horror, they seem to only be weakened by attacks, not killed.”

His tone normalized, “Yet they are no longer a place for you to hide. As long as you obey, you are safe here. Here you don’t have to worry about monsters trying to devour you.”  
Chara sputtered a raspberry. Gaster raised a brow, “You may not believe it, yet all the acts of violence you have encountered were your own actions.”  
Chara clutched their chest and growled quietly, “Liar.”  
Gaster’s expression softened, “I will admit that the soul scanning incident was my mistake. Of course, if you didn’t resist the beam, we wouldn’t have gotten that result in the first place.”  
Chara curled in on themselves and didn’t respond. Satisfied, Gaster approached the door but did not exit.

For a few minutes, the two stayed in the room in silence. As the minutes rolled on, Gaster continually appeared more and more impatient. He crossed his arms. He tapped his foot. He stood near the door while Chara secluded themselves in a back corner of the room, far away from Gaster. Gaster’s phone broke the silence with a ring. He promptly answered, “Yes?”  
He heard Alphys on the other side, “Um, sir? There are two monsters here. One from the Royal Guard and another is a fellow intern. Um… why are they asking to go into the lower lab?”  
Gaster calmly replied, “Let them pass, in fact, if you would be so kind as to escort them to the human’s room, that would be helpful.”  
Alphys sounded surprised, “O-Oh! You found Chara?!”  
Gaster’s tone turned more serious, “Yes. Now, escort them.”  
Alphys sputtered nervously, “R-right away, sir!”  
The two hung up the phone. Gaster sighed, “Good. I need to get back to work.”  
Chara sneered lightly, “You could have left already.”  
Gaster glared at Chara, “And allow you to escape again? No. It is annoying, but I will ensure that you never leave this lab again.”

The two shared a glare for a moment before Chara ripped their sight away from Gaster and to the nearby wall. Another few minutes of silence passed until Gaster and Chara heard footsteps in the distance. Gaster carefully stepped out of the room, but he stayed just in front of the door, blocking Chara’s exit. Chara kept their eye on the door carefully. Gaster saw three figures down the hall. Alphys. A fish-monster with blue-scaled skin and crimson hair dressed in the armor of the Royal Guard. He believed this monster was named Undyne. Lastly, just behind the two, he saw the intern. This tall monster was lithe—serpentine in nature— in both his figure and his arms and legs. His hands held no claws, only rounded fingertips. His skin, mostly covered by his standard lab coat, was covered in scales colored red, yellow, and black in a seemingly random pattern. A long tail trailed behind him, though not as long as his neck, which was curled down as to not bump his head. His eyes moved around the hall, taking it up, but did not blink. This monster held what appeared to be a box of tools.

The group approached Gaster. Alphys spoke calmly, “Um… this is Undyne, from the Royal Guard… and um… I believe you’ve been introduced to Serol, before, sir…”  
Gaster replied calmly, “Yes, I have. I believe I conducted his interview personally.”  
Serol, the serpentine monster, nodded. His voice hissed despite no aggression to his voice, “Yesssir, you did. What did you need of me, ssir?”  
Gaster motioned lightly to the open door, “The human was able to escape through the panel in this door, often used to slip small objects under the door with ease. It needs a lock until the human’s permanent quarters are finished.”  
Undyne crossed her arms, “And I’m here to make sure Serol does nothing to the human, right?”  
Serol’s head snaked next to Undyne’s head. He spoke in distress, “What?! I would never dare sssuch thing-“  
Gaster swiftly interrupted the two, “Enough.”  
Undyne and Serol stood in attention and quieted immediately. Gaster continued in a calm tone, “While that is part of it, the far more important task is to ensure the human doesn’t escape again. It may not seem such right now, but as soon as I leave to continue my work, it could become aggressive.”  
Undyne raised a brow, “Aggressive? It’s just a kid, though, right? I heard about the scar but-“  
Gaster interrupted once more, “At the very least it could try to escape. As long as it stays here, in the condition it has been left in, you are fine. Although, I will allow you to render it unconscious should it become aggressive.”  
Undyne relaxed with a sigh, “Alright.”

She turned to Serol, “How long do you think it’ll take you to make this lock?”  
Serol’s head lowered to the toolbox. He opened it and spoke, “I heard a lock wass needed, sso I managed to find ssome. I brought a few varietiess.”  
Gaster beckoned Serol, “Let me see.”  
Serol nodded silently. He approached his boss and flipped the toolbox around to reveal various tools and a few locks. Some were combination locks and some were latch locks. Gaster lifted the heaviest latch lock and showed it to Serol, “Use this one.”  
Serol nodded as he gently took the latch lock and his toolbox back, “Thisshould be done quickly.”  
Gaster relaxes his hands behind his back, “Good.”

Gaster turned his gaze toward Alphys, “Alpyhs, give Serol or Undyne your key. It will be returned once the task is complete.”  
Alphys hesitated, but quietly complied. She retrieved her copy of the key and gave it to Undyne. Undyne quickly stashed the key away silently. Gaster spoke once more, “Report to Alphys once the task is completed, she will be in her room finishing a few tasks of her own. Once the work is done, I will ensure a small supply of substitute is given to you two with expedience as a reward for this task.”  
Serol bowed his head and lowered his long neck, “You are too kind, ssir.”  
Undyne gave Serol an annoyed look. Gaster spoke firmly, “You have your tasks. Good day.”  
Gaster quietly walked off. Undyne and Serol approached the door. Alphys hesitated. She went towards the door for a moment before she heard Gaster call out to her, “Do not interfere, Alphys.”  
Alphys jumped. She peeked in the door quickly, “I’ll be back when I can, Chara.”  
She quickly ran off. Chara had perked up with the sound of her voice but soon frowned deeply upon her departure.

With a sigh, Undyne entered the room. Serol spoke up, “I will have to closse the door to insstall the lock.”  
Undyne shrugged and flipped the light switch, “Do whatever you need to do, man.”  
Serol closed the door quietly. Undyne turned her attention to Chara in the corner of the now brightened room. Chara had uncurled onto one knee, ready to move at a moment’s notice. Undyne raised a brow. It was just a kid. One who was on edge. Undyne was quick to notice the bruise on the corner of Chara’s forehead. She didn’t want to think how Chara had earned that. She huffed, “Hey, you can relax. I’m not here to hurt you and frankly, I don’t want to unless you hurt me.”  
Chara hissed, “The last monster who has said something akin to that in this room has hurt me.”  
Various noises echoed from just beyond the door. Undyne frowned, “Look, we’re stuck in this room together for- I dunno, ten, fifteen minutes? Maybe more or less? We might as well _try_ to be civil.”  
Chara stood. Their expression dropped to rage. Their tone lowered, “Civil? You think keeping me imprisoned here is civil?!”  
Undyne crossed her arms, “Probably better than ending up in some monster’s stomach.”  
Chara raised their voice, “So being beaten, tortured, and forced to see everything I care about devoured is better?! Is that truly monsterkind’s standard of civility?!”

Undyne blinked, surprised at Chara’s outrage. Her stance tightened, ready for any aggressive action from Chara, fueled by their rage. However, that rage soon quelled. Their stance relaxed. They scoffed. They turned their gaze away from Undyne. They grasped their locket. Their tone normalized somewhat, “You don’t care. No matter what I say, no one cares. The only ones that did, I can never see again.”  
Undyne calmed at Chara’s seemingly calmer demeanor. She sighed, “Yeah… I’m not gonna lie, that was… pretty harsh. Heck, I was ready to volunteer guarding them for the rest of their lives. But that… Guess we’re all going more stir crazy than I thought.”  
Chara walked over to their bed, “No. He planned the whole trial.”  
Undyne gave a dumbfounded look as Chara sat on their bed, “Huh? Who? Dr. Gaster? Pshh, You were there. You saw-“  
Chara swiftly interrupted Undyne. Their tone was calm but firm, “He bribed monsters to shout the suggestion. To sway the crowd. He told me himself.”  
Undyne continued her dumbfounded gaze for a moment before she frowned. She spoke in some disbelief, “Okay. Let’s just pretend I believe what you say. Why would he do that?”  
Chara curled up in their bed, “ _To ensure no one would help me_.”  
Undyne felt a weight in her chest for a moment. A niggling doubt grew in her mind. Could Chara be telling the truth? It would sort of make sense. Yet, this theory Dr. Gaster had planned the whole trial, it felt… wrong.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the door opening. She hadn’t noticed all the noises had stopped a few moments before. Chara and Undyne turned towards the door to see Serol. He held a pleased smile, “The lock iss insstalled. Eassily done.”  
Undyne hesitated. She gave a sigh of relief, “Alright. That means we’re done here.”  
Chara’s eyes widened. Undyne approached the door. Chara stood from their bed, focused on the door. Undyne swiftly looked back at Chara with a serious gaze, “C’mon, kid. I’m sure you know you gotta stay by now.”  
Chara lightly glared at Undyne but said nothing. Undyne carefully stepped out the door and swiftly close it behind her. She took the key Alphys had given her and locked the door. She looked down at the installed latch lock briefly before she locked it as well. She stood and examined it. It appeared to be tight and correctly installed. Serol’s neck curled down toward the lock and into Undyne’s view, “It’s nicce and tight if you were worried.”  
Undyne stood tall and crossed her arms, “I’m not.”  
She turned away from the door and began to walk down the hall, “Let’s just report and get out of here. The smell of blood is going to drive me crazy if I stay any longer.”  
Serol stood with a dumbfounded gaze, “Um… Alphyss’ss room iss thiss way.”  
Undyne swiftly turned around and spoke in some frustration, “Just… lead the way.”

The walk to Alphys’s room was silent between Serol and Undyne. Though it was brief, the many turns of the lab confused Undyne slightly. Serol seemed unfazed. These paths were quite familiar to him. He confidently led Undyne to a plain-looking door. He knocked on the door. He heard Alphys just beyond it, “Oh! J-Just a minute!”  
After a moment, Alphys answered the door. She blinked, “It’s… done, then?”  
Serol nodded, “Yess.”  
Alphys nodded, “O-okay… I think… you two can go now, then. Dr. Gaster said he’d get the substitute to you soon.”

An idea flashed in Alphys’s head. She perked up, “Oh! One moment!”  
She closed the door. Undyne and Serol heard Alphys mutter, “Oohhh, where did I put it-ah! There it is!”  
An unscrewing noise. A re-sealing noise. Then the patter of her feet as she quickly scrambled to the door. She opened it. She held out something in the palm of her hand, “Um… here.”  
Serol and Undyne looked at her hand and saw Alphys hold two small substitute pills. Undyne blinked in surprise. The smell. The color. This was obviously the substitute. Undyne looked at her, “Is that some of the substitute?”  
Alphys nodded, “H-he gave me an advanced supply because I take care of Chara all the time.”  
She frowned, “But… I don’t know if… I could bring myself to eating some. It is… Chara’s blood… after all…”

Undyne quickly grabbed one of the pills, “Pssh, but we have to, why else go through all this trouble? It’s not like we can eat plants or other animals.”  
She paused. She shrugged, “Well… we _can_ , but it’s the same as eating rocks. Useless.”  
Undyne quickly popped the pill into her mouth. Her mouth watered at the taste. The soft pill was quick to chew and slide down her gullet. Her stomach gurgled, both happy and annoyed at the small amount of real food in ages. As Undyne enjoyed the substitute, Serol gently took the remaining pill. His head lowered, “Thank you, Alphyss. I do hope you bring yoursself to eat one, too.”  
She gave a nervous laugh, “Well… I…”  
She cleared her throat, “I think… it’s time you two leave now, right? I mean, we all got a lot of stuff to do!”  
Undyne sighed, “Guess it’s back to patrolling Waterfall. Boring.”

She walked off. Serol stayed. He looked toward Alphys and asked gently, “Um… iss there a way I could… talk to Dr. Gasster?”  
Alphys blinked in surprise, “Um… what about?”  
Serol’s expression dropped, despite his always open eyes. He spoke in a slight worry, “He’ss been down here ssincce the trial, correct?”  
Alphys nodded sadly, her own expression turned slightly crestfallen, “Yeah. Most of the time in a room where he develops the substitute… or his office… or… with Chara…”  
Serol continued, “Sso it iss asss I ssusspected. He iss overworking himsself.”  
Alphys perked up, “Well- I don’t- I’m not exactly sure-“  
Serol cut her off, “Iss he in hiss officce?”  
Alphys shook her head quickly, “N-no! He’s working on the substitute- I think.”

Serol paused. He looked down at his gift. He took a few moments to sniff it carefully, deeply. Alphys raised a brow, “What are you doing?”  
Serol then lifted his head into the air. He began to sniff around until he finally moved. Alphys stood there for a moment. Confusion was strewn about her face. After a few steps, she realized what he was doing. Her eyes widened. She panicked. She chased after Serol, “S-Serol, wait!”  
Serol stopped for a moment. His tail planted firmly on the ground. He used the tail to launch himself down the hall at a quick speed. He kept this pace as he turned a corner. Alphys called out after Serol, “Wait! He doesn’t want to be disturbed right now!”  
Serol seemed focused and refused to answer Alphys. Alphys had no choice but to chase Serol down the halls.

An excerpt from the journal of Dr. W. D. Gaster

_The human’s inventiveness and stubbornness continues to set back my schedule on many projects. Its first—and hopefully only— escape, though brief, proves I must account for every single margin of error. On the bright side, it has begun to be docile towards me, though it still hisses and makes snide remarks. It is scared of me, but it is testing how much it can get away with. The remarks are not bothersome in the end, after all, its will is starting to bend after only a few days. At this rate, especially if it continues to act up, it will its change behavior drastically in a few short weeks. This will not be without backlash, but will be worth the result in the end._


	10. Ringing

Serol ignored Alphys as he ran down the halls of the lab. He was focused. Alphys’s words confirmed the rumors he heard were true; Dr. Gaster had been severely overworking himself since the human’s capture. While Dr. Gaster has proven himself in the past to be capable of working long hours, this was trouble considering his new, additional duties as Leader of Monsterkind.

Serol was quick in his traversal. After a few turns, the smell of blood became more intense. Serol frowned. How long did he have until his bloodlust would take over? A few minutes? An hour? Either way, he had to survive it as the scent became stronger. It wasn’t long before the scent was at its strongest. Serol skirted to a stop past a door by a few feet. Serol took a few sniffs of the substitute pill Alphys gave him to confirm his suspicions. It was here. _He_ was here.

Before Serol did anything else, he ate the small pill. He felt a little better. The scent of blood was no longer overwhelming. Still present, but it wasn’t going to overtake him yet. With a renewed sense of will, Serol knocked on the door. He could hear Alphys cry down the hallway to stop and to not bother Dr. Gaster, but Serol did not heed her words. Serol stared at the door, but what happened soon after, he did not expect. He heard a voice behind him. One of slight disdain, “What are you still doing here?”  
Serol turned to see Dr. Gaster. Gaster glared intently at the tall serpent. His work now disrupted for the second time today. Serol gave a bow and lowered his head, “Ssir, I have heard the rumors you are overworking yoursself.”  
Gaster did not appear fazed. His tone was blunt, “And what does that have to do with you interrupting my work? Did you get lost in search of Alphys?”

The two of them heard Alphys rush down the hall towards them. She gasped at the sight. Before Serol could speak, Alphys rushed over to Serol. She exclaimed loudly, “Dr. Gaster, I’m so sorry! H-he just rushed off much faster than I could run!”  
Alphys began to tug and attempt to push Serol away from Dr. Gaster. She continued to exclaim in great worry, “I’ll just be leading him out of the lower lab now! I-I’m so sorry he disturbed your work!”  
Serol remained still. With his tall stature combined with Alphys’s diminished strength, she struggled to move him. She couldn’t budge him. Serol looked towards Alphys and frowned, “Alphyss, pleasstop. We both know you can’t push me.”  
Gaster’s tone lowered, “And yet she is correct. You should be leaving now that your task is complete.”  
Serol turned back towards Gaster. Hints of worry bled into his tone, “But, ssir-“  
Gaster was quick to interrupt, “I gave you a task and you have completed it. If you do not leave, I will remove you myself.”  
Serol’s neck bent downwards. He spoke in a chastised tone, “I jusst… wanted to help you.”  
Gaster raised a ‘brow’, “You have already aided me; the lock is certain to keep the human contained for the time being until I finish designing and creating its new quarters.”  
Serol’s head perked up. He spoke in worry, “That’ss what I mean! I had heard rumorss the work on the human hass been exhaussting! I want to help you with it!”

Gaster paused. Anger still bubbled within him, but his curiously started to bud. His tone evened, but still remained firm, “Let me see if I have this correct; you rushed through my lab to find me, despite my wishes not to be disturbed, to offer aid with projects concerning the human?!"  
Serol nodded and held his own hands together. His expression evened out sightly, almost to mirror Gaster’s. He answered simply, “Yessir.”  
Gaster felt his good eye socket twitch. He was at a loss at this monster’s stupidity or his tenacity. Gaster pondered. He remembered Serol’s particular knack for helping his fellow interns, despite him being decent enough to lead some small projects if he showed initiative. Gaster frowned. Perhaps this monster was right; more and more work regarding Chara had popped up at a great pace. It had been less than a week and already he had to juggle three major projects concerning Chara. Tasks that would get less and less attention as he was pulled into duties as Leader of Monsterkind.

His train of thought was interrupted by Alphys. Her voice wavered as she once more tried to convince Serol to move, “Yes… well… Serol, he is very busy and he does not like being disturbed. Especially when his work on the substitute is interrupted. P-perhaps you could-“  
Gaster’s tone firmed as he locked eyes with Serol. He was swift to interrupt Alphys, “You understand that projects regarding the human are of the utmost importance because the human is the key to our survival, correct?”  
Serol nodded. His head lowered slightly in submission. Gaster continued, “And because of this, you understand that any project regarding the human, should I enlist any aid whatsoever, will be held to much higher standards than what I would normally accept?”  
Serol’s head raised. Where Gaster expected discouragement, Serol’s eye only hinted at determination and focus. This was accompanied by a “Yessir.” from Serol. Gaster paused once more. He sighed; he knew that Serol at this point was not going to take ‘no’ for an answer. Gaster resigned in frustration, “Very well.”  
Serol’s eyes lit up. Alphys’s jaw dropped. Gaster continued in a strict tone, “I have two projects concerning the human. I will let you choose one to work on. The first is a beam that will bypass the human’s flesh and be able to scan the soul without harming the human or the soul. The second requires a force field that can be sustained indefinitely without damaging the human.”  
Serol scratched his chin. He mused, “Neither ssound like my sstrongesst pointss…”  
Serol then relaxed, “But, I am intrigued by thiss beam for ssoul examination.”  
Gaster began to instruct Serol, “Then that will be your project. I want a working prototype within two weeks' time. You will test it twice as much as you would usually test projects with detailed results for every test. Only then will I consider testing the beam on the human.”  
Serol tilted his head, “Am I permitted to gather a team?”  
Gaster frowned, “Only a small team, and I will evaluate each candidate. Only you will be permitted in this area to report any significant progress or to suggest candidates.”  
Gaster smirked, “Now go. You have very little time to waste on such an important project, after all.”  
Serol beamed. He bowed deeply, “Of coursssir!”

Serol rushed off past Alphys and out of the lower lab. Alphys turned to Gaster, shock and worry encompassed her expression. She spoke quietly, “S-Sir… that deadline… even for a simple machine prototype, that’s an extremely tight deadline…”  
Gaster frowned, “He chose to disturb my work, therefore he needed punishment.”  
Gaster smirked, “And he was so willing to choose his punishment as well. Either way, the prototype he does end up making will save me some time in the end. If he can succeed, then it is better.”  
Alphys sighed, “I… suppose it’s better than being arrested…”

Gaster nodded, “Now then, I know this morning has been eventful, but do not feed the human until tonight. In fact, do not interact with it until you feed it.”  
Alphys stood tall to protest. She saw her boss glare down at her. He expected a retort from her. She immediately deflated. She sighed and looked away, “Okay… but, can I… ask why?”  
Gaster rolled his eye sockets, “I would think it obvious; the human tried to escape. Such isolation shall be their punishment for the time being.”  
Alphys frowned, “But… sir. Those books on human biology; they also had a mental health component. I… I read that humans in isolation become… well… unwell.”  
Gaster glared, “The human’s mental health is of no consequence.”  
Alphys protested, “But-“  
Gaster growled, “I will not have this sort of argument again, Alphys!”  
Alphys curled in on herself. She quickly quieted. Her boss continued, “Unless there is clear evidence such things affect the human’s actual health, it is of no consequence. If this is that great enough of a concern to you, prove it in a report using the books as reference."  
Alphys’s eyes widened. This was her chance to prove that he was being too harsh on Chara. Already her mind started to bring up passages from the books she read. This would be easy. She nodded, determination in her gaze, “Okay, I will!”  
Gaster glared at Alphys, his tone slightly dry, “I look forward to it.”

Gaster teleported away. Alphys presumed he went back inside the substitute room. She sighed. She began to walk back to her room. She finally had a chance to convince him that Chara’s mental health was going to hurt them.

—————————————————————————

Chara stayed in their room. They had no choice, after all. They had decided to try the doorknob once they could no longer hear footsteps any longer. Locked. They lowered onto their knees to confirm their suspicions. They pushed the panel and found it only moved very slightly if any hint of movement at all. They could no longer escape this way. They gave a deep sigh. They returned to their bed to curl in on themselves. They were careful not to agitate any of their bruises as they settled on their bed. They began to think once again. The door wouldn’t work; the only solution with it would be to ram it down. The new lock gave it more strength. Even if they were able to break down the door, it would take an exorbitant amount of time. Their captor was likely to notice such damage before they could escape by that method. If they did that; they’d have to be careful.

Their train of thought was interrupted by a knock at the door. Alphys’s kind voice could be heard after the knock, “Chara? It’s me.”  
Chara gave a sigh of relief. They sat at the edge of their bed and spoke calmly, “Hello, Alphys.”  
Alphys looked down at the new lock, “The lock he chose… it’s definitely strong…”  
Chara gave a noise of affirmation. Alphys hesitated in her next question, “Did he… hurt you?”  
Chara gritted their teeth. They hissed one simple word, “Yes.”  
Alphys gave a defeated sigh, “I thought so…”

Chara stood from their bed, “However, it was not as bad as what he did to Asriel.”  
Alphys sat down against the door, “Well… that trial was really bad…”  
Chara sat down on the other side of the door, “That as well, but I refer to just today.”  
Alphys raised a brow, “What do you mean?”

Chara grasped their locket tightly, “He cracked Asriel’s locket.”  
Alphys smiled, “O-oh, that’s what you mean! I was pretty confused for a moment.”  
Her smile dropped. She gave a more sympathetic tone, “I… I’m sorry. I… I didn’t even know he had Asriel’s locket.”

Alphys’s eyes widened, “Wait… Asriel… he was wearing that locket during the trial, right?”  
Chara curled in on themselves slightly. They replied bluntly, “Yes.”  
Alphys’s tone turned to horror, “Oh no… that means… that locket is coated in his dust!”  
Alphys covered her mouth. She felt as though she would gag any second, “Th-that would mean… Dr. Gaster’s… carrying around Asriel’s grave…”  
Chara raised a brow, “It is… not just a memento?”  
Alphys seemed to calm slightly, “Oh… right… monsters and humans take care of their dead differently. Since monsters turn to dust, we’ll sprinkle the dust onto an item or group of items the monster treasured. It could be anything; a book, a chest of various objects. A… a locket…”  
Chara began to shake, “I saw it. I saw Asriel’s locket drop into his pile of dust… you’re saying that would be equal to a grave?”  
Alphys affirmed, “Yeah… I mean, I don’t know what happened with the rest of their dust.”  
Chara clenched their fist. This new information twisted a knot in their stomach. If they had any food, they felt it would have been expelled. The locket truly was the last part of Asriel that remained. Literally. They nearly snarled, “All the more reason to get Asriel’s locket away from him.”

They felt so angry, a ringing began in their ears. However, something peeked through. A strange sound. One that stopped their train of thought. Chara blinked and looked around with confusion. They turned their head towards the door. Their voice was calm and curious, “Did you say something?”  
Alphys replied with equal confusion, “Huh? N-No, I didn’t.”  
Chara still heard the ringing in their ears, but the strange sound they heard was gone. They sighed, “I… I thought I heard something.”  
Alphys raised a brow, “Huh?”  
Alphys then stood with a sharp gasp, “Oh no! What if it’s Dr. Gaster?! I-I’m not supposed to be talking to you right now! W-we’ll both be in trouble!”  
Alphys quieted and spoke apologetically, “I… I’m sorry, Chara. I have to go now. If you really did hear something, I don’t think I can risk staying any longer…”  
She spoke gently, “I’ll… be back later with dinner, okay? Bye.”

Alphys rushed off without another word. Chara was alone once again. They could do nothing but let the conversation that they had with Alphys sink in. The truth of Asriel’s locket. A few tears flowed. They gripped their own locket. They whispered, “Asriel…”

Suddenly, the ringing in Chara’s ears began again. They gasped, startled slightly by the noise. They closed their eyes and focused. Another sound peeked through. It sounded strange. Distorted. Yet familiar. It sounded akin to a whisper. Whose voice, they couldn’t tell. Neither could they tell the words said.  
Chara sighed as the voice faded. It had been a long morning. Maybe a nap would help. Not as though they could do much else. Chara crawled into bed, careful not to agitate their bruises. They closed their eyes and fell asleep.

———————————————————————————

Darkness. Naught but black void surrounded Chara in their sleep. They shivered. Was it cold? Chara couldn’t feel anything. If any sense dominated their dream, it was sound. It was quiet at first, nothing more than tiny whispers. Chara turned rapidly in the dream. They couldn’t find the source of the noise. The whispers grew, yet the contents were still distorted. The ringing in their ears returned sharply. Chara tried to plug their ears, yet the ringing never ceased. They closed their eyes and curled in on themselves. The ringing hurt their ears. They wanted it to stop. The whispers turned to voices and began to bleed through the ringing. Yet, now the voices seemed concentrated. The voices came from in front of them. Chara opened their eyes, their hands still firmly on their ears. They saw something in the darkness. Their eyes widened; a shadowed hand began to reach towards them. The shadows seemed to follow it, which masked the hand’s features. Chara slowly backed away, “Go... go away… get away!”  
The arm did not falter. It continued to extend towards Chara calmly. Chara shook. They noticed no matter how far they backed away, the hand grew closer, as though they stood in place. As it drew close, Chara began to panic and swat the hand away. Their hand passed through the hand as though the hand itself was a shadow. The shadow finally took hold. It gently took hold of the locket. Chara cried out, “LET GO OF IT!”

The hand seemed to comply. The hand limped for a second. Chara gave a small sigh of relief. The hand then grabbed them by the left shoulder. Chara tensed. Their eyes widened. Chara wanted to scream. They froze in fear. This hand. It was familiar.

Chara woke up with a sharp gasp. They sat in their bed and took a few moments to even out their breaths. After a while, they let out a long, calm sigh. They tried to recall the dream. They recalled most of it, but the end was all muddled. They touched their left shoulder where the hand had touched them. Whose hand was that? Why was it familiar?  
A different thought crossed Chara’s mind. They heard something. The ringing, but much quieter than in the dream. Chara concentrated on the ringing. The realized they could hear the whispers as well. However, said whispers soon stopped. The ringing continued. Chara quietly wondered what was going on.


	11. Learn Your Place

Chara was awoken with a knock on their door. Once more Alphys called to them, “Hey… it’s morning… did you sleep okay?”  
Chara took a moment to regain themselves from their sleep. The ringing and whispers in their ears had paused for the moment. The feeling of unease that had lingered since their soul had been cracked still remained. Chara clutched their chest. Their fingers ran along the chain of the locket. They looked down at it. They couldn’t help but think of Asriel. The sorrow that he was gone, the worry their captor carried his grave to taunt them. Chara shed a tear.

The whispers and ringing returned. Chara let out a small gasp. They shook their head then clutched it. Go away, they thought to the noises. Still, they lingered. Alphys’s voice broke through the whispers, “Chara?”  
The ringing and whispers began to fade. Chara focused more on Alphys. They stood and spoke, “I… I’m alright.”  
Alphys hesitated, “…Are you sure?”  
Chara nodded and approached the door, “I am sure.”  
Alphys gave a resigned sigh, “Alright…”  
Alphys silently unlocked the panel and slid the tray under. Chara took the tray and slowly ate with their back to the wall next to the door. Alphys broke the silence, “Um… are you still hearing strange things?”  
Chara made a noise of affirmation, “But they have dissipated for the moment.”  
“Does… it hurt?”  
“No.” Chara tenderly cupped the bruise on their head. The shards of pain were less than before, but still present. Chara grumbled, “The bruise still stings.”  
“Oh… right.” Alphys sighed.

The two sat awkwardly as Chara ate their meal. Once finished, Chara sat the utensils and dishes on the tray. They pushed the tray under the panel with a simple, “I’m done.”  
Alphys nodded, “Yeah…”  
She quickly collected the tray and set it to the side. She cleared her throat, “I um… I think I should tell you something.”  
Chara relaxed against the wall, “What is it?”  
Alphys relaxed on the other side of the wall, “Dr. Gaster… he gave me a substitute that used your blood.”  
Chara tensed slightly, “So he is using it.”  
Alphys perked up, “I- I haven’t eaten one! I swear!”  
Alphys calmed, “I… I knew it was you… so… I couldn’t.”  
Chara raised a brow, “Wouldn’t that be considered reckless, since you are charged with taking care of me?”  
“Yeah… but… I’ve been so calm. It’s almost been a week and I haven’t even thought of attacking you.”  
Alphys hugged herself, “I mean… I did sort of lose myself when I smelled your blood.”  
Chara replied dryly, “So if I am injured enough to bleed, you could attack me?”  
“No! I-I mean… I hope not…”  
“Yes, you wouldn’t be much of a caretaker then, would you?”  
Alphys paused. Her tail curled in around her as she frowned deeply. She replied meekly, “Am I a good caretaker?”  
Chara shrugged, “As good as any could be to a prisoner who is tortured daily, I suppose.”  
“I just… wanted to make sure.”

Alphys gently slid a hand under the door. Chara recognized it and took the hand gently. The two sat there hand in hand for a minute. The brief respite was interrupted. A strange, yet familiar sound came from outside Chara’s door. Alphys looked up at the source of the noise to find Gaster glancing down at her. She yelped. She ripped her hand from Chara’s. She instinctually called out her boss’s name, “Dr. Gaster! What are you-“  
Gaster swiftly interrupted her, “If you have time to dawdle here, then you have time for that report on mental health you care so much about.”  
Chara stood at the sound of Gaster’s voice. They gritted their teeth. He still had Asriel. The whispers and ringing returned to Chara as Alphys stammered to Gaster, “I-I, sir, I was only giving Chara breakfast…”  
Gaster’s eyes drifted to just behind Alphys. He replied dryly, “Then it would seem your task is complete, with that empty tray.”  
Alphys looked down at the tray. She paled slightly, caught by her own actions. She continued to stammer, “I, yes, well I… was only-“

Chara growled from behind the door, “She doesn’t have to make excuses when she’s done nothing wrong!”  
Alphys and Gaster went silent. Gaster glared in the direction of the door. He spoke simply, “This is none of your concern. Stay quiet.”  
Chara shook. They spoke in a low tone, “I won’t. Not when it’s obvious you’re spying on us.”  
An amused chuckle escaped Gaster, “Spying? I’ve not set any cameras in this area.”  
His gaze turned curious, “Although that is a good idea.”  
Chara pounded on the door, “Liar! You think I don’t hear it, do you? The whispers and ringing of whatever machine or magic you’re using!”  
Gaster sighed, “I have no idea what you speak of.”  
Alphys perked up, “Um… Chara mentioned hearing some strange things last night.”  
Gaster glared at Alphys, “I ordered you not to interact with it last night.”  
Alphys shook her head nervously, “I-I mean they told me about the noises just before you startled us!”  
Gaster’s expression calmed slightly, “Is that so?”  
He mused aloud, “I wonder, is this a result of the soul cracking? Grief over the Dreemurrs? Or could-”

Chara kneeled down on the floor and opened the unlocked panel. Their hand slid under the door and began to savagely swipe out. Chara yelled out, “Don’t talk about them like that after what you did! Give Asriel back!”  
Alphys stepped back from the door and out of range of Chara’s arm. Gaster, out of range already, looked out at the arm with a neutral expression. He sighed, “You continue to not know your place.”  
Gaster stepped forward and lifted his other leg up. He stepped down on the open panel and pushed it down. With little effort, the panel trapped Chara’s arm. Gaster simply pressed down until the arm no longer moved. Chara yelped as the panel began to dig into their arm. They tried to pull it back under the door, but it was too late. It was pinned down. Chara hissed, “Let go!”  
Gaster replied simply, “I think not. You lashed out, and now I’ll have to punish you again. I would have thought by now that you would begin to learn your place, but I was mistaken. Your will is annoyingly strong.”  
Gaster moved his foot slightly. Chara winced at the additional pressure. They continued to try and pull their hand under the door to no avail. They felt little scratch marks on their arm from their attempts, but nothing else.  
Alphys winced, “P-please, sir! You’re hurting them!”  
Gaster rolled his eyes, “At present, pain is the only way it learns. Until it knows its place, the pain will continue.”  
Chara growled, “Liar! I don’t know what you’re going to do to me, but I know you’re going to continue to hurt me!”  
Gaster smirked, “I see. You need everything spelled out. If it will make you understand your place, then very well.”

Gaster calmly explained, “The exact timeline depends on your cooperation. Already you’ve done a decent job at derailing the initial schedule. As it stands, there is not much to do for the first month other than you learning your place. Which can take anywhere from a few weeks to two months, depending on you. After one month, I will be able to take smaller doses of blood on a more consistent basis. By the time two months have passed, I will resume scanning your soul with a more compatible machine. A few weeks later, if my materials are completed, your new room will be completed. With it, you will never escape this lab ever again.”  
Chara’s arm began to shake slightly. Part of their arm felt numb from the pressure. What kind of room wouldn’t allow them to escape? A locked door was usually enough for a human. Would it be watched? Guarded? Chara feared the answers. The answers they already had were frightening enough as is. Especially the plans for these first months.

Gaster gave an amused chuckle. He could easily see the shakes of Chara’s arm, “Scared already? Good. Beyond that, there is nothing else to do other than consistent blood draws and soul research for the rest of your life. Once you are old and frail, only then will you be killed. But your soul shall remain here, and your body will be used as one last batch for the substitute. Sadly, you are only a temporary solution, as the true source of monsterkind’s woes is the barrier itself. If it truly takes seven souls, we might have to wait ages to be free. However, if the soul research leads to a discovery that expedites the process, it will be all the better. Either way, the only time you will leave this place is as a soul used to break the barrier. Such a shame.”  
Gaster pressed his foot down one last time on the panel. Chara’s arm tensed even more. Chara winced once again, but this time did not move their arm. They knew it was no use. Gaster continued darkly, “If souls were not required for the barrier, I would gladly devour yours after all that you’ve done.”

Alphys gasped and stepped back in shock. She covered her mouth. Her eyes drifted to Chara’s arm. Unbeknownst to the monsters, Chara’s mouth hung agape for a moment. They closed their mouth. Tears began to fall from their eyes silently. They heard Gaster muse once more, “Now that I think about it, it would be quite a touching reunion.”  
Chara’s eyes widened at Gaster’s words. He continued, “You would share the same grave as your previous owners. Reunited after a lifetime of service to monsterkind. How sad is it, knowing it will never come?”

A few audible sobs escaped Chara. They rested their body against the stone floor. Their entire body relaxed. Gaster released the pressure on the panel and stood tall. Chara’s arm slowly crawled back under the door. In the darkness, Chara felt their arm. They examined the point here the panel dug into them. They felt a deep ridge in their skin and some scratches. No blood. The pain and numbness slowly subsided into pins and needles. They heard a noise. Different than the click of the lock and much lower. The lock of the panel’s lock had been fastened. They heard Gaster speak to Alphys, “Now then, Alphys.”  
Alphys stood in attention, “Y-yes, sir?”  
Gaster glowered down at her, “Come with me. I see we need to discuss some new developments.”  
Alphys lowered her head with a frown, “Of course…”

Chara heard Alphys collect the empty tray and slowly follow behind Gaster. Somehow, the sound of the steps fading gave them mixed feelings. On the one hand, they felt dread for what was planned for Alphys. Would she be punished for this? If so, would they ever see her again? The ringing in their ears made it hard to think of such alternatives. On the other hand, they felt a semblance of relief. There were no plans for them for the moment. Yet, Gaster’s ‘schedule’ for them hung in their mind. Would it really take only a few weeks for them to break? Yet again, the ringing made it hard to think. It grew to piercing tones. Chara held their head. They felt a pain grow in their head and chest. They breathed heavily and waited. They only focused on the pain and the desire for it to wane. After what felt like a long time, the pain did begin to wane. The ringing waned with it. Chara gave a sigh of relief as silence and dulled pain overcame them. They slowly stood from the cold stone floor. They returned to their bed. Nothing else to do but sleep or wait.

———————————————————————————

After Alphys dropped off the empty tray, she followed Gaster back to his office nervously. Was she in trouble? Did he see through her lie about not visiting Chara yesterday? He seemed perfectly calm after he was done hurting Chara. She frowned at that all too recent memory. She was thankful that the physical wounds weren’t taken too far, but worried about the emotional wounds Gaster had caused.

Her thoughts were interrupted by their arrival to his office. The two stepped inside and she locked the door behind her. Gaster sat down at his desk and grabbed some spare paper. He didn’t look up from this paper as he spoke plainly, “How long has the human been hearing these strange things?”  
Alphys gave a confused look for a second, caught off guard by the chosen topic. She frowned as she explained honestly, “I… I don’t know. Chara only just mentioned these noises. I’d… have to ask them more questions.”  
Gaster frowned and wrote something down, “Has it been linked to anything, or do you not know?”  
“Linked? I don’t understand.”  
Gaster sighed and spoke in an annoyed tone, “Did the human mention any sort of pain or anything that could trigger these noises?”  
Alphys shook her head, “No…”  
“Then your task today will be gathering such information.”

Alphys blinked, “Sir… this sounds like a mental health thing, can I ask why you’re concerned all of a sudden?”  
Gaster put down the pen. He relaxed his chin on one of his hands, “It could, but such stark changes could also be the result of their soul being cracked.”  
Alphys’s expression dropped to worry, “Oh… right…”  
“If it truly is the result of that, then it must be documented, that could also explain the erratic and desperate behavior as of late including the escape attempts. This could present a real threat to the human’s soul, or be a sign of possible soul degradation.”  
Alphys frowned for a moment. Her eyes widened as a realization dawned on her, “Which means… if it’s more than correlation, then Chara’s mental health is a direct sign of the state of their soul!”  
Gaster rolled his eye sockets, “Unlikely. That would fall under correlation. The only way to prove such things is to rebuild the soul scanning device. While the task is beginning, it won’t be some time until that can be proven.”  
Alphys stuttered, “B-but… if-if it can be proven, you-you’ll be nicer to Chara… r-right?”  
“That depends on the human’s behavior, but at the very least I could allow you to continue to talk with it.”

Alphys changed the subject, “Um… I think there is one more thing you could do.”  
Gaster raised a brow, “What is it?”  
Alphys replied nervously, “You could… give them… Asriel’s… locket?”  
Gaster stood, “Not until I know it will not escape this lab again. I will not consider it until I am certain it can never leave.”  
Alphys frowned, “I… I understand, sir.”

Gaster frowned, “Now then, I believe you have a report to continue.”  
Alphys gave a determined look, “Yes, sir! I do!”  
Alphys calmly marched out of Gaster’s office and closed the door behind her. Gaster sighed. He reached into one of the draws of his desk and pulled out a thick leather-bound book. He flipped to the next empty page and began to write.

An excerpt from the journal of Dr. W. D. Gaster:

_Alphys continues to annoy me with concerns about the human’s mental health. I question how much it means to her, as I caught her slacking off and interacting with the human this morning. Yet, this interaction led to a discovery; the human is having auditory hallucinations. While there is little proof as of yet, the timing of the start to these hallucinations could be linked with its soul cracking. It could be anything, and it could be nothing. Yet, something about this stark change brings worry about possible degradation to the human’s soul. If it turns out to be nothing, then fine. If it is linked to the crack in the human’s soul, then the damage may be more extensive than I first thought._


	12. Questions and Comfort

Alphys was nervous when she returned to Chara’s door. The pressure of this upcoming conversation was mounting. Papers, pens, and a book or two were in her arms. She knocked on the door and spoke gently, “It’s me, again.”  
She heard Chara reply in a blasé tone, “What is it?”  
Alphys fiddled with her papers, “Um… I’d like to ask you some questions about the um… noises you’ve been hearing. I-if you don’t mind…”  
She heard Chara’s voice closer to the door, “Is this by his order?”  
Alphys began to set the books down, “Partially. I’m working on a report that will link your mental health to your physical health. If I can prove that, Dr. Gaster said he’ll be nicer to you!”  
Chara scoffed, “He’s lying.”  
Alphys frowned, only a pen and paper attached to a clipboard in hand. She answered, “Well, we won’t know for sure until we try, right? B-besides, it’ll pass the time.”  
Chara sighed, “Fine.”

Alphys beamed, “Okay! If you um… don’t mind, I’d um… like to come in.”  
Chara’s voice tensed slightly, “What do you mean?”  
Alphys unlocked the latch lock, “Well, if there’s any pain associated, it’d be better to physically see where it’s coming from, right?”  
Chara didn’t respond. Alphys lifted the panel and spoke, “It’d be nice to talk face to face. I think this kind of thing is the only time I could get away with it. O-or we could just, um… talk like this. Like we usually do.”  
Chara finally spoke with a calm, even tone, “Alright.”  
Alphys smiled, “Okay! I’m going to push my books and notes under, okay? Oh! And could you turn on the light, please?”

Chara silently stepped to their right and turned on the lights. Chara hissed for a second as their eyes readjusted. They noticed that books, papers, and a clipboard had been pushed under the door. They heard Alphys speak, “Okay. I’m opening the door. I… really need you to step back.”  
Chara side-stepped to their left, just to the foot of their bed. The click of the lock sounded. A momentary worry fell upon them. They felt uneasy. The memories of the other times the door opened flooded in. They heard the ringing sound in their head. It fully encompassed their hearing as Alphys slowly opened the door inward.

The first thing Alphys saw was Chara at the foot of the bed. Their eyes were locked on her as she opened the door. Their gaze was curious, but hints of fear bled through for a few moments. She saw Chara relax as they realized it truly was only her. Alphys noticed the bruise Gaster inflicted a few days ago. She frowned and winced, “Th-that bruise… oh gosh, it’s worse than I thought.”  
Chara instinctually went to touch it. They found the pain had subsided. They rubbed it and only then did they wince. Chara lowered their arm, “It is not as bad as before.”  
Alphys carefully closed the door behind her, “That… doesn’t make me feel better.”  
“Our feelings are mutual.” Chara rolled their eyes. They lifted themselves onto the bed, yet their eyes never left Alphys. Alphys looked around the small room with a frown, “That’s right, this room didn’t have a desk and a chair. I guess I’ll just sit here.”

Alphys moved the books to her side and sat in front of the door. Chara frowned at this but evened out their expression quickly. Alphys gathered her clipboard and papers. She set a few books in front of her. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a pen. She cleared her throat, “Well, um… I guess we’ll just start with when exactly you starting hearing the noises.”  
Chara folded their arms, “Last night while we spoke. That is the first time I heard the whispers and ringing.”  
Alphys dutifully wrote as Chara spoke. She continued, “Okay. Do the different noises happen separately or simultaneously?”  
“I can have one, or both.”  
A few more pen strokes, “Do any of them cause you any sort of pain?”  
“There has only been one instance so far.”  
Alphys’s writing halted. She perked up, “When? And please point exactly where the pain originated from and traveled to if it did.”  
Chara stood and pointed directly at their chest, just under their locket, “Here. And throughout most of my head simultaneously. It began as you left with _him_.”  
Alphys frowned, “After he hurt your arm.”

She perked up again, “Um, he didn’t make you bleed or bruise or anything from that, did he? That’s not a question for the report, that’s just um… personal curiosity.”  
Chara lightly shook their head. They showed their arm, wrist out, towards Alphys, “Nothing more than a few scratches and mild digs into the skin. It… only hurt in the moment. That tactic was more fear mongering than anything else.”  
Alphys’s expression dropped again, “Y-yeah… Um… moving on.”

She readjusted her papers, “Um, a-any specific areas for the pain in the head?”  
Chara motioned to all sides of their skull, “I suppose the areas around the brain wouldn’t suffice as an answer?”  
Alphys began to write again, “No, no. That’ll do.”  
Chara perked up, “Wait.”  
Alphys looked up at Chara, “What is it, Chara?”  
Chara grasped their locket, “I think… the pain in my chest was in the exact place where he pointed the beam at my soul.”  
Alphys’s eyes widened, “So… the pain could’ve been from your soul!”

She beamed, “This’ll prove my theory for sure!”  
Chara folded their arms and raised a brow, “What theory?”  
Alphys curled inwards slightly, “Um… that your um… mental health is directly linked to the uh… condition of your soul.”  
Chara gave an amused smirk, “So, this is his fault.”  
Alphys lightly shook her pen upwards, “In theory, yes!”  
Alphys frowned as she continued to take notes, “But, um… we won’t know for sure until we can examine your soul again. That’s not going to be for a while.”  
Chara normalized, “He commented that in two months he would be able to.”  
“Um… that monster that put the lock on your door, his name is Serol. He went in search for Dr. Gaster and um… volunteered for projects concerning you.”  
Chara’s gaze intensified slightly, “So, I will be dealing with another monster, soon.”  
Alphys shook her head, “N-no. He’s supposed to build a prototype for the soul scanning machine. But… Dr. Gaster gave him a ridiculously short amount of time. I don’t think he’ll be able to finish it. Dr. Gaster said it was a punishment.”  
Chara laid back on their bed. They smirked lightly, “Somehow, it is slightly comforting to know I’m not the only one he tortures.”  
Alphys sighed, “No,”  
She pushed the topic aside, “A-anyway! We better get back to these questions!”  
Chara stared at the ceiling. Their tone and expression normalized, “Fine.”

Alphys scratched her head as she thought on the next question, “Let’s see… um… is there anything that you can think of that causes the noises? I-I mean directly, n-not your soul cracking.”  
Chara thought on it for a few moments in silence. The shook their head, “No specific thought comes to mind. However, I do remember the ringing and whispers did return when he did.”  
Alphys wrote as she spoke, “Okay. So, it’s linked to Dr. Gaster. That would make sense; if this is because of your soul cracking, then it’d make sense that he’s a sort of trigger.”

She paused, “Anything else? If they can happen separately or together, then there must be more than one stimuli.”  
Chara scratched their head with a confused gaze, “Hmm… I’m not sure.”  
Alphys sighed, “Well… let’s try walking through the thoughts you had this morning.”  
“You refer to my thoughts as he arrived, correct?”  
Alphys nodded, “Can you remember any specific thoughts?”  
“I… heard his voice. My thoughts drifted to a few emotions. I remember my usual anger, but there was fear and worry. Then, I focused on the thought that he still had Asriel. Both the whispers and ringing began after those thoughts coalesced.”  
Alphys wrote something down, “That must be it! Thoughts of Asriel, worry, anger, and of Dr. Gaster cause these noises!”  
She looked up at Chara curiously, “Are you… hearing the noises now?”  
Chara nodded, “They are quieter but present.”  
“Both?”

Chara nodded. Alphys jotted down a few more things before she smiled, “This should do the trick! I know this will prove the connection for sure!”  
She stood, her papers and pen placed gently on her books. The rustling noises caught Chara’s attention. They turned and sat on their bed. The noticed Alphys slowly approach them. Chara’s expression turned serious, on guard. Alphys reached her arms out with a smile, “Thank you, Chara! I’ll be able to help you for sure with this!”  
Chara asked sternly, “What are you doing?”  
Alphys paused, she blinked. Her arms still raised. She replied with a confused expression, “I was… just going to give you a hug.”  
Chara scooted back onto their bed. They turned their gaze away from Alphys slightly, “I… I don’t… I don’t feel comfortable with this.”  
Alphys frowned. She lowered her arms as she replied, “I just… wanted to comfort you better than I have been able to. I… I don’t know if I’ll have another opportunity to comfort you like this. To hug you. To let you cry on my shoulder. Whatever you need.”  
Chara scooted to the edge of the bed once more. They lifted their hand towards Alphys, “For now, I only feel comfortable with you holding my hand.”  
Alphys sighed, “Okay.”  
She gently cradled Chara’s hand in both of her’s. Slowly, she nestled her fingers through Chara’s. Chara closed their eyes and sighed contently. They felt at ease. They concentrated on the warmth.

They felt a yank. Chara’s eyes shot open to find them headed for Alphys’s chest. Before they could gasp, Alphys had begun to wrap her arms tightly around Chara. For a moment, Chara could only panic quietly. The ringing returned sharply, painfully in their skull. They winced slightly in Alphys’s arms as she cradled their back and head. She gently shushed, “It’s okay, Chara. I promise.”  
The sudden shot of adrenaline from the tug caused Chara to shake slightly. Tears began to well in their eyes. Their emotions swirled and combatted, but not one single emotion could dominate. Instead, the turbulence paralyzed Chara aside from the small shakes. Alphys cooed once again and gently rubbed the back of Chara’s head. Chara stopped their shakes. Tears began to fall. Chara breathed deeply. A few audible sobs began to escape. Alphys continued, “Let it all out.”

Chara hated those words. They knew those words would be the tipping point. More tears and more sobs escaped. Chara began to cling to Alphys tightly as their sobbing became constant. They burrowed into Alphys’s shoulder as they cried out the stress and sorrow of this past week. Alphys stood there, eyes closed with a smile. She gently rubbed Chara’s head and back as they bawled into her shoulder. She only concentrated on what she could touch. Their tangled and disheveled hair. The gown Alphys had dressed them in. And the occasional touches of Chara’s soft skin.

Another sense began to creep into this hug. Alphys noticed a scent waft into her nose. It was a pleasant scent, one which caused her to coo lightly. It was so familiar, but she could not place it at this moment. Somehow, she knew the source was near. But, where? She took a deep sigh through her nose, unnoticed by Chara sobbing in her arms. Her mouth began to water. The source was close. _Very close_. She opened her mouth slightly. She could practically taste it. Taste. Somehow, that thought allowed the pieces to come together. Her eyes shot open. A cold sweat beaded on her forehead. He eyes drifted to the source of the scent; the human crying in her arms, Chara. Alphys closed her mouth, careful to not disturb the child. Alphys felt a few tears of her own well but held them back.

After another minute, Chara’s sobs quieted to deep breaths. Chara’s arms lowered as they slowly recovered. Alphys spoke, “Are you ready for me to let go?”  
Chara hoarsely replied, “Yes.”  
Alphys felt her arms stiffen. She felt a part of her wanted her to keep hold of Chara. To never let them leave her arms. She brushed those thoughts away by lowering her arms. Chara sighed and sat on the bed. Their eyes reddened and swollen by their tears. They frowned as they wiped away the stream that remained. Chara looked away and quietly spoke, “Thank you.”  
Alphys smiled, “Well, of course-“  
Chara hugged themselves, “But please do not do that again without my permission.”  
Alphys went crestfallen. She nodded in understanding, “Okay. I’m sorry.”  
She walked back towards the door and began to gather her books, papers, and pens. She lifted the panel and pushed said materials out of the room. She spoke kindly, “I should start writing this report. I won’t lie, it’ll be tough to make this report convince him, but I’ll make sure of it!”  
Alphys quickly scrambled out of the room, “S-so, I’ll be off, now! See you later for dinner, Chara!”  
Alphys nearly slammed the door behind her. She was quick to lock the door and the panel tightly. Her body paused afterward. Did she want to stay to comfort them some more? Or was it _those_ thoughts? Alphys began to shake. She heard a noise she begged not come around; her stomach gurgling. It was quiet, but Alphys scrambled to pick up her materials before she sprinted away from Chara’s room.

Down the halls, she turned aimlessly. She was desperate to get away. Yet, that memory still clung to her mind. The scent of Chara’s blood. She stopped a few hallways down and dropped her papers and books. She covered her mouth and nose. She began to shake. Her mouth watered. Her stomach gurgled and groaned again in anticipation. She vigorously shook her head as she spoke to herself, “No!”  
She spoke aloud to herself, panic in her voice, “I'm supposed to take care of them. I can’t think about eating them!”  
The memory still lingered, enticed by the faint scent of them on their hands. Alphys gasped and pulled her hands away from her mouth. She closed her eyes before she sharply struck her own face. She spoke with vigor, “Get ahold of yourself, Alphys! You won’t eat them, not even their blood! Not now, not ever!”  
She took a few deep sighs. A pause. Her eyes shot open. Determination in her gaze, “Right! Because I have a report to write! For Chara’s sake!”  
Alphys once more scooped up her books, papers, and pens. She sprinted off to her room. She had all the information she needed. She knew that was the easy part. The most difficult was just ahead of her.


	13. Apologies

Chara awoke in a cold sweat. The gave a few gasps as they awoke to full consciousness. The ringing was heavy in their mind. It waned as the images in their mind waned.

Their terror was broken. They heard a knock on their door. Before they heard Alphys, Chara gasped sharply. Alphys was quick to notice, “Chara, it’s me. Is… everything alright?”  
Chara’s mind calmed. The ringing subsided. They gave large sigh, “I am fine. It was just another nightmare.”  
Alphys leaned down and opened the panel, “Oh… did you… want to talk about it?”  
Chara stood from their bed. They replied as Alphys pushed their breakfast under the door, “No. It was just old memories. Nothing of your concern.”  
Alphys sighed as she settled just next to the door, “R-right. You said talking about the past was off limits…”

Chara slowly walked over and settled down in front of the tray. They began to eat without another word. Alphys remained quiet as Chara slowly ate their breakfast. They mused as they finished, “How was the report received?”  
Alphys gave a nervous chuckle, “I don’t know. I only turned it in yesterday. I had to be sure it would convince him. I’m… sorry I haven’t been able to talk to you much these past ten days.”  
Chara pushed the finished tray under the door, “It is fine. Besides, he has not bothered me at all.”  
Alphys nodded, “He’s… finished the substitute, at least until he takes more blood.”  
Chara settled against the door. They have a dry chuckle, “I’m surprised he has restrained himself from torturing me again.”  
“He’s been really busy with leadership duties. And overseeing the substitute’s distribution.”  
“What little there is.”  
“Yeah…”

Chara paused. They weren’t sure of what to ask about next. They hadn’t had many conversations with Alphys the past week and a half, but even then Chara’s mind didn’t spring any topics immediately. After a few brief moments, a new idea came. Chara mused, “Do you know anything about those projects he mentioned? The… new room and the… beam?”  
Alphys frowned, “I don’t know anything about the new room, I only know he’s put a little more time into it. But, I haven’t seen anything.”  
“And the other project?”  
Alphys hesitated, “…I saw Serol a couple days ago. He looked exhausted, but… he said he’ll finish on time. In two days.”  
Chara’s eyes widened. Was it really that close? The days blended together with their paltry amount of stimulation. They shook and grasped their locket. The pain of the soul scanning machine re-entered their mind. The ringing surfaced, it was almost deafening. A tear escaped their eyes. Their breath became heavy. They could barely hear Alphys’s voice through the ringing, “Chara? Chara, are you okay?”  
Chara didn’t respond. Alphys reached under the door to find Chara’s hand. Chara had lifted both their hands. One to their head and the other to their locket.

Chara fell backwards. The door flew open and no longer supported them. They expected the floor, but their head was caught by Alphys. She gave a large sigh of relief, “Thank goodness.”  
She sat down on her knees. She slowly settled Chara’s head onto her knees. She slowly began to pet Chara’s hair. Chara breathed deeply, “I… I don’t want to feel that pain again.”  
Alphys cooed, “It’s okay. You won’t feel that pain ever again.”  
Chara turned their head to the side, they choked out their words, “You are right. _He_ will make it worse.”  
Alphys shook her head and protested, “No!”  
“That machine brings nothing but pain. He brings me nothing but pain. I only healed my wounds because he has not visited me.”

Alphys quieted with a frown. She wasn’t sure what she could say to calm Chara down. She sighed in defeat. She quietly continued to pet Chara’s head as they quietly went through their flight of fear and panic.  
Once more, Alphys caught Chara’s scent. Her mouth watered at the now familiar scent. She tensed. Once more, Chara was vulnerable in her arms. She pushed back the instinctual thoughts to the back of her mind. She couldn’t act on them.

Chara calmed down after a few minutes. They spoke first, “You can let go now.”  
Alphys nodded, “I… have to put you back in your room, okay?”  
Chara frowned and didn’t respond. They sighed and slowly stood. Alphys stood in tandem. She was careful to continue to block Chara’s path out of the room. Her doubts washed away when Chara willingly stepped into their room. Alphys closed the door behind them and turned the lock tightly. She took the tray in hand and spoke, “I’ll be back with dinner later. Hopefully, he’ll have read the report and I can tell you his reaction!”  
Chara spoke, “See you later…”  
Alphys checked both locks on the door. Sealed shut. She picked up the tray and left without another word. Chara sat on the bed. They wiped away their latest string of tears. The ringing lingered, but it was quiet. Subtle. It was a welcome change to its usual deafening sound and pain.

Chara’s mind drifted back to thoughts of the soul scanning machine, and the new version that was set to arrive in two days time. Was Alphys right in her assumption that it would no longer hurt them? That their soul would not once again crack under the pressure of the machine. Even in their calmed state, Chara knew it wasn’t going to be so easy. Such a complicated machine couldn’t be perfected in two weeks time. It was going to hurt, the only thing Chara wasn’t sure of was how much pain it would bring. Would there be mercy and have not as much pain as before? Or would it bring that cleaving pain back every single second for more agony? Chara shivered once more. The ringing escalated in their mind. Pain began in their chest. They spoke quietly, “I can’t… not again. Never again…”  
A flash of determination burned in their eyes. They had to escape. To run. Anywhere but here. Anywhere away from him and his torture machine. A new plan slowly formed into their mind. They frowned. A small sorrow escaped them, “I’m sorry, Alphys.”  
All they had to do now was wait.

——————————————————————————

Alphys calmly walked with Chara’s dinner in hand. She sighed; Dr. Gaster had yet to read the report she worked so hard on. She had no choice to wait. She knocked on Chara’s door as always. She dutifully spoke, “Hey, Chara. I’m um, back with dinner.”  
She heard no response. She raised a brow, was Chara still asleep? Did they not hear her? A worry entered her mind; their previous escape. She shook her head, that couldn’t happen. She placed the tray down on the ground next to the door and checked both locks. Firmly locked. This action did not lessen her worry. She knocked again, “Ch-Chara? Are you okay?”

No response. Silence. Alphys began to fidget nervously. Something must be wrong. She retrieved her key and slowly unlocked the door. Just a peak will do, right? The door slowly creaked open. She saw Chara on the bed, but they weren’t sleeping. They seemed panicked. They clutched their chest and head. They were breathing heavily. Something was wrong. Alphys gasped and flung the door open. She called out Chara’s name and dashed to their side. She panicked, “Wh-what’s wrong?! Is it your head, your soul?!”  
Alphys leaned in to examine them. She saw Chara’s eyes flash open. Before she could react, Chara pushed her down to the side. Alphys, already off balance from leaning in, easily tumbled to the ground in a panic. She called out, “Chara!”  
Chara was quick to react. They jumped off the bed. They sprinted towards the open door. They only said two words as they exited, “I’m sorry,”  
With those words, Chara disappeared out the door. Alphys panicked. She called out, “Wait! Chara, come back!”  
She stood and dashed to the door herself. By the time she made it to the door, Chara had rounded the corner. Alphys ran down the hall after them, She couldn’t catch up. She felt short of breath. Her vision blurred slightly. After two corners, she stopped. She used the wall for support and caught her breath. She felt herself shake. She couldn’t catch up to the sprinting child. She had no choice.

She pulled out a cell phone and dialed a number by heart. One ring. She caught her breath. Two rings. She took a deep breath. Her shaking stopped. The third ring. An answer from a familiar voice, “What is it, Alp-“  
Alphys called out, “It’s Chara! Th-they escaped! I-I’m sorry, it happened so fast!”  
Alphys heard the dial tone sound. She listened to it for a few moments before her arms limped at her side. She cradled her head. A few tears peaked through, “Chara… why?”

——————————————————————————

Chara rushed through the lab. They knew the way. They had to escape. They hesitated to push Alphys, but they knew it had to be done, it was the only way. Chara didn’t care where they fled; they only knew they had to flee. They safely made it to the elevator. They saw no trace of Alphys nor Gaster as the door closed. They sighed deeply; so far, so good. The door opened. Chara rushed out with no hesitation. Their eyes locked on the door to the outside; to Hotland. They saw the button next to the door. The key to their escape. Their eyes widened. A smile grew. Their hand outstretched as they approached the door.

A voice sounded behind Chara. Cold, yet curious, “Where do you think you’re going?”  
Chara’s feet slowed to a stop just in front of the door. Their arm still outstretched, it floated just in front of the button. Chara’s eyes widened. They began to shake. The ringing returned to their mind. They did not look back at the being behind them; they knew who it was. Gaster. He stood a few yards away from Chara, his expression calm, but only an ‘eyebrow’ raised. Chara paused. Their lower hand curled into a fist. They spat out, “Away from you.”  
A smirk curled on Gaster’s skull. A low chuckle emanated from him. Chara gritted their teeth as he laughed. He spoke, “And where could you possibly run to? You have no family to hide you. You cannot hide within Riverperson. And no matter what corner of the underground you run to, all of monsterkind will bring you back to me without hesitation.”  
Chara growled. They turned towards their captor. He looked down at them with an amused smirk. His hands clasping each other. Chara roared, “I’ll find someplace! Someplace you can’t find and hurt me anymore!”  
Gaster’s eyes narrowed, “Is that so?”  
His eyes normalized. He motioned towards the door, “Go on. Test out your little theory. I’m more than happy to test the reactivity of my Royal Guard.”  
Chara turned back towards the door, “I’ll find someplace they’ll never find me.”

Chara raised their hand towards the button once more. They pressed it. The doors opened. The heat of Hotland funneled in the small door. Their freedom was within grasp. Chara took a single step towards the door. Gaster frowned at this. He quickly fished an item out of his pocket. He spoke in a dark sympathy, “Of course. If you run away, I will have no choice but to shatter this.”  
Chara heard the familiar clinks of metal. They gasped and turned back towards Gaster. Once more, Asriel’s locket was wrapped in his claws. Their eyes widened at the sight of the locket. The ringing grew stronger. The whispers returned. A few tears peeked from their eyes. They stomped their foot and demanded, “Let him go!”  
Gaster sighed. He closed his eyes and spoke in a smug tone, “Still making demands? I would have thought these past quiet days finally calmed your mind.”  
Gaster firmly took hold of the locket. His eyes flashed open, no magic came with it; his eyes still remained white. He glared at Chara. He spoke harshly, “But, it appears you will never learn. I will just have to continue to teach you.”

Chara shook even further, now fully noticeable. Their legs failed to move. Part of them wanted to push the button and fly out the now closed door. Yet, another part still locked onto Asriel’s locket. Chara didn’t want to—no, they couldn’t—leave without the locket. Not without Asriel. Gaster chuckled at Chara’s shakes, “I see you finally understand the weight of your situation. It all comes down to your choice on who I punish.”  
Gaster moved Asriel’s locket between his claws, “If you take one step out that door, _Asriel_ will be the one punished. I will crush the locket utterly and completely, and once you are returned to me, I will give you the shattered remains. The dust that was once the locket.”  
Chara quietly replied, “No… please… h-he didn’t do anything wrong…”  
Gaster ignored Chara’s words. He extended his other hand towards Chara, “Or, you can end this escape now. I will escort you back to your room, and you will be punished at a later time. When that punishment will take place, or what it will be, you will not know.”  
He curled his hand to his side. He tilted his head slightly as he gazed down at Chara with a wicked grin, “The choice is yours. Will you punish Asriel for a non-existent victory? Or will you accept the consequences of your actions to save him?”

Chara whimpered slightly. Their gaze switch between the button for the door and Asriel’s locket. Nothing at that moment felt right. Their escape. The choice they had to make. All of it twisted to suit Gaster. A brief chill ran up their spine; what kind of punishment would he enact this time? What more could he possibly do? Besides Asriel, what more could he possibly take away from them that he already hadn’t?! They were at a loss. Tears streamed down their eyes. The realization set in; he was right, this escape was only temporary at best. They’d be dragged back in at most a matter of hours. There was no escape.

Chara felt their leg give out. They fell on their hands and knees before Gaster. Their head hung low, almost as though Chara had bowed before the skeletal monster. Tears dropped on the floor. Chara gritted their teeth. They spoke out two words, “I’m… sorry.”  
They could feel Gaster’s smirk. His dark satisfaction at their sorrow. He heard the clink of the locket as it was stowed once more in his pocket. He approached Chara, “There now, was that so difficult?”  
Chara felt a sickness well in their gut. From his words and their own. A few sobs escaped them. They felt a yank pull them to their feet. They saw Gaster tightly hold them by their upper arm. They heard the familiar noise of Gaster’s teleportation. In an instant, the two appeared within Chara’s room. Gaster lightly tossed Chara towards their bed. Chara fell onto their bed. They twisted and landed on their chest. Their arms splayed out across the sheets. Chara relaxed in that position. They began to weep quietly. Gaster left without another word. He ensured to locked the door, and the panel, behind him.


	14. Demons

Chara had thought it impossible to sleep after their latest escape attempt. At first, they laid in bed with the sharp ringing in their head. What punishment would ensue from this attempt? How long would Gaster drag out the wait? While these questions were pressing and full of distress, Chara soon drifted off to sleep without much trouble. For once, their mind stayed silent, as though it too lied in wait.

Chara woke to the familiar knock of Alphys at their door. Her voice was quiet and slightly somber, “Ch-Chara? Are you awake?”  
Chara stretched in bed, but they didn’t want to move. They sighed and spoke, “Yes.”  
Alphys slowly opened the panel, “Oh… okay.”  
Alphys silently slid the tray under. She paused in closing the panel. She noticed Chara was not in front of the door as usual. She perked up, but her voice still carried her somber tone, “Chara? Aren’t you hungry?”  
Chara paused. They bit their tongue lightly to hold back a witty but bitter response. Chara had no anger for her. They only wanted to remain in bed for the moment. Chara sighed, “No. Not at the moment.”  
Alphys sat in front of the door, “Did… did he hurt you?”  
“No.”  
Alphys raised a brow. Her tone turned surprised, “Really?”  
“Not physically, if that is what you wanted to know.”  
Alphys lowered her head. Her somber tone returned with a simple, “Oh…”

Silence pervaded. Alphys hesitated to speak. She tensed and whined slightly before she took a deep breath. She gave a serious tone, “Chara, why did you?…”  
Her voice faded, her bravery faltered at the last second. Chara’s eyes drifted towards the door. They immediately knew what she referred to. Their latest escape attempt. They sat up on their bed but did not move from it. Chara spoke, “I had to.”  
Alphys lifted her knees against her chest, She settled her arms on top of her knees. Then, her chin on top of her arms. She sighed, “You had to try.”  
Chara gave a noise of affirmation. Alphys hesitated before she spoke again, “Was it… the news of the soul scanning beam?”  
Chara made another noise of affirmation. Alphys raised her head slightly. She continued, “But, why that trick?”  
Small shards of anger bled into Chara’s tone, “There was no other way. It… was nothing against you.”  
Chara frowned. They spoke in a somber, “I’m sorry.”  
Alphys unknowingly mirrored Chara’s frown, “Chara…"

A few tears began to escape Chara’s eyes. They spoke through a lump in their throat, “I… I can’t give up. I have to get away from him.”  
Chara began to shake slightly. The whispers and the ringing returned. They spoke through light sobs, “But… I can’t. He stops me every time. He uses Asriel against me. I… I can’t leave Asriel with him. I can’t… I can’t…”  
Chara curled up on their bed. They took deep breaths slowly. In and out. Alphys stood tall. She fished her key out of her pocket. She moved the key towards the door but paused. She hesitated, the latest escape attempt still fresh in her mind. Her mind wandered to how she reacted the last couple times she fully comforted Chara. To their scent. To their touch. She heard her stomach rumble quietly, stirred by the memory. She grimaced, worried about the answer, “Do you want me to hug you?”  
Chara sniffled, “No.”  
Some relief bled into her voice, “Do you want me to hold your hand?”  
Chara hesitated. They let loose a large sigh before they replied, “Yes…”

Chara stood from their bed and approached the door. They pushed the tray away from the door. They placed the tray on their lap. Alphys’s hand slowly appeared under the panel. Chara gently grasped Alphys’s hand. They gave a content sigh as they concentrated on the warmth of the hand. Chara slowly evened out their breathing over the course of a few minutes. All the while, Alphys said nothing. She let them work through their panic with the help they were comfortable with. She felt her hand let go of. She blinked in surprise. She was about to speak when she heard the sounds of bread tearing. Chara’s appetite returned. She gave a sigh of relief, “I guess you're feeling a little better, right?”  
Chara gave a noise of affirmation before they continued to tear into their bread. Alphys silently waited for a few minutes as Chara ate and settled down from their panic and sorrow. It gave her time to think. Should she confess these instinctual thoughts? How long could she go on without the substitute? _Could_ she go on without it and without hurting Chara? She wasn’t sure of the answer. She worried on what Chara would think of her if she spoke up. Yet, what if she didn’t speak up and something happened? What if she couldn’t control herself one day? She grumbled to herself; she had to confess.

Chara pushed their empty tray under the panel without a word. Alphys noticed this quickly. She gently set the tray aside before she settled next to the door. She began, “Ch-Chara… I… I have to tell you something.”  
Chara’s tone turned wary, “Is it a message from him?”  
Alphys shook her head, “No, it’s not like that.”  
She hesitated. She began to fiddle with her fingers and claws in trepidation. She opened her mouth and forced herself to speak, “I… had some horrible thoughts when we hugged! A-and when I comforted beyond holding your hand!”  
Chara raised a brow. They kept their cautious tone, “What do you mean?”  
Alphys whined, “I… I mean… in the back of my mind, I thought of… eating you.”  
Chara instinctually moved away from the door. Alphys continued at a quick and worried pace, “I-it was only when we were really close! I wouldn’t act on it—I swear! I can fight it!”  
Chara replied evenly, “It sounds like you are losing that fight.”  
Alphys paused. Her face paled with dread. She unconsciously squeaked, “I am?”  
Chara gritted their teeth. They didn’t like the words they wanted to say, but they couldn’t have Alphys turn on them as well. They carried that bitterness in their voice, “Yes.”  
Alphys groaned, “I don’t want to hurt you.”  
The ringing and whispers grew louder. Suddenly, memories of Asriel’s declarations to protect and not hurt them flooded into Chara’s mind. Their eyes widened. They clutched their locket unconsciously. They clenched their teeth as a volley of emotions flooded into them. Their voice raised, “Then eat the damn substitute!”  
Alphys nearly jumped at Chara’s raised voice. Both were silent for a moment. Chara continued in a calmer and more even tone, “If you don’t want to hurt me, then… you have to.”  
Alphys rubbed her face and groaned once more, “I… I knew I’d have to eventually. I… I’m sorry, Chara. I… I know I should have eaten some sooner, but.. knowing it was you and knowing everything Dr. Gaster has put you through…”  
She shook her head, “I don’t know anymore.”

Chara sighed, “Would… me giving you permission help?”  
Alphys blinked, “You… you wouldn’t mind?”  
Chara rolled their eyes and replied dryly, “Of course I mind, but I have no choice in the matter. Who knows how many monsters are currently eating my blood as we speak?”  
Alphys replied with a nervous laugh, “Y-yeah…”  
She paused, “I… I do feel better telling you that.”

Chara tightly hugged themselves. They didn’t respond. Their own emotions continued to clash with each other, leaving only a jumbled mess. Alphys sighed. She scooped up the tray. Chara spoke calmly, “You have Asriel’s naiveté.”  
Alphys blinked in surprise. She could only respond nervously, “Oh… really? I… um… don’t know what to say…”  
Chara didn’t respond. They returned to their bed quietly. Alphys cleared her throat, “Well… I just… um… I’ll… talk to you later, okay? I’ll… eat some later today, okay?”  
Chara laid down in bed and didn’t respond. Alphys soon left just as silently.

—————————————————————————————

The wait became unbearable. Chara grew further on edge as the day passed without Gaster’s interference. Then another. By the time Alphys had left them alone after breakfast, three days after their latest escape attempt, their emotions conflicted fiercely. On one hand, they feared that he would appear any second, ready to drag them to what torture he saw fit. On the other hand, as the wait dragged on and on, Chara began to wonder if he had forgotten about punishing them due to his responsibilities as Leader of Monsterkind. Chara momentarily scoffed at the thought; he would not grant them such mercy so easily.

Later that day, their wait came to an end. They heard the familiar and distinct clink of his steps on the linoleum. Chara wasn’t sure if it was him for a moment. One sound before all others cemented their theory: the click of the door lock.  
Chara instinctually let out a small gasp. They sat up in their bed sharply. The door did not open immediately. Instead, the latch lock unlocked, fully unlocking the door. Only then did the door open to the familiar visage of Dr. Gaster. Chara normally scowled at this figure—they wanted to—but they knew his presence meant one thing. Gaster smirked and spoke the words that confirmed their fears, “Its time for your punishment.”  
Chara’s already pale complexion paled further. The ringing returned sharply in their mind. Their body shook slightly, the only movement they made. Gaster frowned at this lack of movement, “You will follow, or I will force you. Now get up.”  
Chara’s shakes ceased. Their teeth and fists clenched for a moment. They relaxed with a defeated sigh. Chara climbed out of bed without a word. Gaster’s subtle smirk returned for a moment. Chara turned their gaze away to the side, almost submissively. They didn’t want to see the satisfaction in his smirk, though it was only momentary.

Chara followed behind Gaster silently. The ringing in their ears never silenced, though it did fade slightly. Chara slowly watched as they passed by doors, all the same style and color. Some differentiated by labels. Chara simply waited for Gaster to pause in front of one of these rooms. After a few twists and turns in the lab, the two finally stopped in front of a door. With naught but his subtle smirk, Gaster opened the door and motioned for Chara to enter, “In here.”  
Chara inhaled and exhaled quickly. Deeply. This was the moment they’d find out their punishment. They had to steel themselves for it. Chara approached the open door slowly. Once they stood in front of the doorway, they could clearly see the room they were set to enter. Their feet stopped immediately. Chara gasped loudly and quickly. They covered their mouth and shook fiercely. The ringing in their mind grew deafening. Pain reawakened in their chest. Tears began to well in their eyes as they took in the sight of their punishment. The island table with straps on it. The large rectangular machine. Yet, this time, the apparatus attached to it was different in form but still held the same concept; an apparatus for a beam.

Chara’s body moved faster than their mind. They quickly turned away from the room to run away from it. Chara only moved a few steps when they felt Gaster catch them by their hair. Chara screamed out, “No!”  
Tears began to fall down their face. They heard a dark chuckle emanate from Gaster, “So, it truly was the fear of this device that fueled your last attempt.”  
Chara began to pull at their hair, desperate to pull it from Gaster’s grasp. They screeched out desperately, “No! Please, not again! Anything but that machine!”  
Gaster silently pulled Chara back by their hair. All the while, their shrieks continued, “No! No! I don’t want… I can’t feel that pain again!”

Gaster threw his arm outwards, Chara in tow. Chara fell into the room and crashed on the floor just inside the door. Chara scrambled to their feet, but Gaster was prepared. He stood in front of the door and began to lock the door as Chara recovered. Chara saw this and screamed, “No!”  
They pushed past Gaster, they turned the knob but found it firmly locked by a key. Chara looked over at Gaster. He held the key high in his grasp. Chara waisted no time. They ran and jumped for the key. Gaster held it easily out of reach. Chara sobbed, “Let me out! Please!”  
Gaster firmly curled the key in his fingers. He smirked at the sobbing child, “Your punishment has yet to begin. Why would I let you out now?”

Pangs of defeat could be seen in Chara’s gaze. They stopped their jumps. The pain in their chest grew. They curled over and grunted in pain. Both their hands clutched their chest and locket. All the while they felt their heartbeat race with their fear. Gaster saw his opportunity. He stowed the key silently. He firmly took hold of Chara’s right arm and began to drag them towards the table. Chara screamed out, “NO! STOP IT! LET ME GO!”  
Chara thrashed. They tried to curl their body to punch Gaster’s arm with their left hand but found no such luck. They tried to firmly plant their feet on the linoleum to halt Gaster’s advance. No such luck. No matter how loudly they cried out for him to stop, Chara was dragged closer to the table. Once next to the table, Chara used their free hand to push away from the table. They begged once more, “You can’t do this!”  
Gaster yanked Chara to the right side of the table. They yelped as their push against the table faltered immediately. Gaster spoke in a wicked tone, “Oh, but I can. I can and will choose what punishment I see fit for you, and this is a more than fitting punishment for your disobedience.”

Gaster lifted Chara’s right arm towards the middle rightmost restraint. Chara tried to pull back from their tormentor’s grasp but failed. They begged him again, “No… please... OW! OW! You’re hurting me!”  
Gaster quickly fastened Chara’s right wrist within the restraint. Chara’s arm had to twist somewhat to fit the restraint. They slumped against the table awkwardly to alleviate some of the pain. They grunted and groaned as they tugged at the restraint and twisted their arm to a more comfortable position. They reached for it to try to release it themselves. Gaster swiftly slapped away their left hand. Chara instinctually let out an “Ow!” as his hard boned fingers swatted their hand. He glared down at them, “The sooner you climb onto the table, the sooner this will end.”  
Chara glared at him through their tears. They growled, “I won’t let you do this to me again!”  
Gaster’s eyes lit up with magic as he spoke in disappointment, “Then you leave me no choice.”

Chara felt a familiar grasp on their soul. While they were slumped over, they could not see their now visible soul. Yet, Gaster could. He saw the crack easily, unchanged from what he’d seen during the event. He felt a tinge of relief at the stable condition of their soul, and relief his blue magic at current didn’t damage their soul further. He stepped back a few paces from Chara. He flicked his wrist upward. Chara began to twist and float in the air. Chara reacted quickly, “Whoa-what are you-“  
The realization set in as their body rotated around the restraint. They shrieked out, “NO!”  
They began to flail in the air, but their back soon touched the table. They could only flail their free arms and legs. They cried out as they flailed, “Not again! Please, anything but this! Please don’t do this!”  
Gaster said nothing to Chara’s begs and pleads. He only held the right side of his head and began to concentrate deeply. His orange eye burned brightly. Several sets of his disembodied hands appeared around Chara and began to pull their arms and legs towards the restraints. Chara cried out, “STOP IT! LET ME GO! LET ME GO!”

One by one, the rest of Chara’s limbs were pulled into place and the hands tightly restrained them. Chara could do nothing but grunt and sob as the last of their limbs were restrained. They looked over and saw Gaster slump over against the nearby wall. He clutched around his right eye and slowly caught his breath. By the time he did, Chara’s cries diminished to sobs and sniffles. With one final exhale, Gaster stood tall. Chara’s eyes locked on him as he slowly walked to the soul scanning machine. He began to turn on the machine, press a few buttons, a keystroke here and there. Chara quietly begged, “Please… don’t do this.”  
Gaster frowned and calmly looked over at Chara. Their eyes widened. They gave a panicked smile as they continued to beg, “Y-you know this thing cracked my soul, right? You… you would not want to risk it breaking again, r-right?”  
Gaster smirked. He pointed towards the new laser apparatus. He remarked, “That may have been true with the old laser apparatus, yet this new one has been developed with that problem in mind. But, of course, there are some kinks to work out, but that is why we must test it.”

Chara’s sobs ceased as they listened to Gaster, “Now, shall we see if it will work?”  
Chara shook their head, “No… please…”  
They heard the familiar whir of the laser warming up. They looked up at the laser apparatus. Light slowly began to gather at the firing point. Chara cried out, “No! Please! I…”  
They closed their eyes and screamed out, “I’m sorry! I promise I won’t try to escape again!”  
They opened their eyes. Their gaze locked on Gaster. He continued to set up the machine, but he met Chara’s gaze with a frown. Chara continued their begs a little quieter, “I’ll stay in my room! I won’t lash out at you or Alphys! I’ll… I’ll obey your commands without retort! I’m sorry… Just, please… don’t make me feel that pain again…”  
A satisfied, smug grin had grown on Gaster’s face as Chara listed out their promises to him. For a moment, his hands relaxed off the keyboard. A moment to truly take in their desperation. But a moment was all it was. His grin grew wider. His hands slowly lowered the switch to finally, fully, let loose the beam. Chara’s eyes widened in shock. The whir of the laser apparatus grew stronger. Chara’s eyes locked onto it. There was nowhere to escape it. They were going to feel that pain again. They already felt a pain in their chest, from their soul and their heart beating impossibly fast with fear. The beam fired. Chara closed their eyes and let loose a blood-curdling scream. One the likes Chara hasn’t heard since they saw the corpse of their own mother.

The scream silenced. Naught but the sound of the laser could be heard. No additional pain bloomed in Chara’s chest. They didn’t feel any pressure from the beam. Instead, they heard a noise next to their head. Chara hesitated to open their eyes but soon did. To the very right of their head was the beam. Not at their chest. Chara shook. Confusion grew on their face. Tears still flowed heavily from their eyes, reddened, yet not as much as their crimson irises.

A wicked laugh bellowed from Gaster. He leaned on the soul scanning machine for support as he let loose his loud, dark laughter. Chara’s gaze locked onto the monster. Their confused gaze still present. Frustration budded in their gaze. Chara’s voice shook as they called out, “Wh-what is…”  
Gaster slowly regained himself. He wiped away a tear of his own and turned off the beam. Still with tinges of laughter in his voice, he spoke, “Did you honestly think I would allow a test of such an incomplete apparatus?!”  
Chara’s tears began to slow. Confusion still dominated their face. Their body continued to shake from the adrenaline. They couldn’t speak from the shock. Gaster cleared his throat. He motioned to the apparatus. He smirked. His tone evened as he spoke, “That device is a mere proof of concept. A prototype. It is nowhere near a stage where I would approve testing on something as precious and fragile as your soul.”

Anger bubbled within Chara. They gave a light glare at Gaster, all they could muster as their physical and mental energy was sapped by this trick. Gaster lightly pushed the machine away from Chara. He began to detach the beam apparatus from the machine. Chara found the strength to hiss out, “I was wrong about you.”  
Gaster paused. His light smirk never left his face. He raised a ‘brow’ and turned back to Chara, “Oh? In what way?”  
Chara scowled at Gaster, “You are not a monster. You… _you are a demon_.”  
Gaster let loose a small chuckle, “Is that what you think? On the contrary, I see you as a much more fitting demon.”  
Chara growled, “Why you-“  
Gaster swiftly interrupted. He had turned back to his work at detaching the apparatus as he spoke, “Demons are creatures that take for themselves. Flesh, soul, emotions, a demon will take anything it can from its victim. Yet, while they could use their strength, many demon stories have them take from their victims…”  
His gaze returned to Chara, “By simple coercion. Convincing victims to either give up or coerce the victim into the demon’s plans. And that is what you are; the demon that used coercion to lead the Dreemurrs to turn against their true nature.”

Chara spat out, “Don’t talk about them like that!”  
Gaster finally detached the apparatus from the machine. He slowly cradled the device in his hands as he spoke, “It is not the Dreemurrs I speak ill of. I speak ill of the demon that led them to their deaths.”  
Chara shook their head. They closed their eyes tightly as they cried out, “No! You killed them! You convinced monsters to want them devoured!”  
Gaster carefully walked over and placed the apparatus on the small desk in the corner of the room, “I did the things I did for monsterkind. You, my little demon, manipulated the Dreemurrs for your own gain.”  
Chara quietly replied, “That’s not true… it… it can’t be true…”  
Gaster walked back over to the table, right behind Chara’s head. He looked down at Chara. Chara saw the light past their eyelids obfuscate. They opened their eyes. Their eyes widened at their captor staring down at them with a dark smile. He continued, “But it is. Your control over the Dreemurrs drove them to their deaths and your imprisonment. You may be a demon, but you’re not a skilled one. Your plan was doomed to fail from the start.”  
Chara looked away and frowned, “No… I didn’t… but you… stop telling me these lies!”

Gaster went to the left side of the table. He began to loosen Chara’s restraints as he replied, “I know it is difficult for humans to see the truth. I will continue to tell it until you finally see it.”  
Chara shook their head. They didn’t reply. They only wanted to tune out his words, but his words somehow made it past the whispers and ringing, unable to block him out. Meanwhile, Gaster walked over to the other side and undid the last of the restraints holding Chara down. He spoke curiously, “You can ruminate on our conversation in your room. I wonder if your time alone to think will allow you to see the truth.”  
Chara curled up on the table and laid on their side. They buried their face in their hands. They continued their sobs without another word. Gaster sighed and touched their shoulder. Within an instant, the two teleported back to Chara’s room. Gaster teleported to the side of Chara’s bed. He teleported precisely that Chara would land on their bed post-teleport. Chara scrambled to a sitting position, startled by the sudden falling sensation they felt. They did not move from the bed as Gaster left the room with a smirk on his face. No more words passed between the two. Gaster closed the door and locked both locks before he left Chara alone once more.


	15. Screaming

An excerpt from the journal of Dr. W. D. Gaster

_In between all my duties, I had received the prototype for the new laser apparatus for the soul scanning device. Despite his short timeframe, Serol and the small team of five that I approved performed adequately; above my expectations for his punishment. While I’ve not been able to give my comments and improvements about the device, I did find time to use it in the human’s punishment for its latest escape attempt. Its initial reaction to the device confirmed my suspicions in that it escaped due to Alphys informing it that the device’s prototype was set to be completed. I must admit, I had an overreaction. Once it was all over, and the beam hit the table just next to its head, I laughed. I had only gone in with the intent to punish, and yet I found myself laughing at its reaction. Its begging and pleading. That isn’t to say I hated the event. On the contrary, I found it a resounding success. After all, the human is beginning to take my words to heart. It is beginning to see the truth of its situation._

——————————————————————————

Alphys gave a sigh of relief. She relaxed in a chair next to the desk in her room. She set her canister of the substitute back down on her desk, fewer pills in the canister than before. Even with the shaky ‘permission’ from Chara, she still felt tinges of guilt for eating the substitute, but she knew Chara was right; she had begun to lose herself as she got closer to Chara. While she had no opportunity to test if the substitute indeed offset this, she had felt more energy and less apathy since she had begun to take it. She silently cursed herself; those long days of finishing the report on Chara’s mental health could have gone much smoother if she wasn’t stubborn.

The report. She frowned at the thought of it. She knew Gaster had been more preoccupied with his duties as Leader of Monsterkind since he had completed the batch. With it, she knew he hadn’t read the report she had slaved over for ten days yet. Worse yet, he had enacted Chara’s ‘punishment’ for their latest escape attempt. She couldn’t get much information from Chara; they were sobbing when she arrived with dinner. They didn’t want to be held or even touched. Alphys could only sit by silently until Chara slowly finished with their dinner and asked her to leave. She could do nothing but comply with Chara’s wishes. Not the way she expected to end her workday. But, her bed beckoned her, and she was happy to oblige.

Her dreams, what few she had, were cut short by a loud but distant sound that faded in and out. Her eyes flashed open, unsure of the sound or its source at first. As she woke to her full consciousness, she realized what the noise was; screaming. Dust-shaking, scale-rattling screaming. Alphys left out of bed, her mind began to race. Who could possibly scream like that? She heard a pause for breath. A cry sounded in its place, “No! Stop, please!”  
Alphys finally recognized the voice; Chara! She bolted out the door and left it ajar. She sprinted down the halls towards Chara’s room. The screams grew louder and louder. Alphys tried to rationalize. Did a monster break in and attack Chara? Did they try to escape again and Gaster had already stopped them? Alphys feared the former scenario, easily the worst one. As she approached the door, the shrieks were ear-piercing. She fumbled with her key to unlock the door and the latch lock. Everything was properly locked. No scuffs or tears at all. A chill ran down Alphys’s spine as she braced herself to open the door.

She opened the door slowly at first. Only a peek. Even in the darkness, she could see Chara in their bed. They still sounded their shrieks and screams. Their bedsheets a tangled mess around them. But, Chara’s movements seemed… restrained was the only way to put it. Alphys had no idea what had happened to Chara. She threw the door open. She swiftly turned on the light. She turned to fully examine Chara. Their eyes were wide open as they shrieked. Tears ran down their face. Their expression was one of pure terror. Their body was flat on their back, almost as if they stood straight. But, Alphys noticed Chara’s arms were out slightly and not directly at their side. She also noticed that their lashes seemed restrained by their wrists and legs. By the time she had fully taken a glance at Chara, Chara screamed out, “Stop…. it hurts!”

Alphys blinked in surprise. Hurts? Pain? Where? Nothing was so much as touching them, other than the bed and sheets. Her calm expression exploded into shock as she realized one thing; she couldn’t see injuries in the soul. She approached the bed and tried to call out to Chara, “Chara?! Chara! Can you hear me?!”  
Chara’s cries and wails continued unabated. Alphys whined and fiddled with her fingers. She was at a loss of what to do.

Through the screams, Alphys could faintly hear a noise outside the open door. She didn’t think much of the noise until she heard the ever familiar voice of her boss shout out, “What is happening here!?”  
Alphys turned to see Gaster walk in the door. His expression was a mixture of annoyance and exhaustion. She guessed he was in the same situation she was in: awakened by Chara’s screams. Alphys replied in worry, “I don’t know! Th-they were just screaming about pain, but I don’t see any wound! Is… is their soul cracking again?!”

Gaster approached the bedside. He looked down at the thrashing human with a look of contempt. His eyes flashed with magic as he began to gaze at their soul. The crack was unchanged. After a few moments, he relaxed his magic. He shook his head and spoke in annoyance, “No, its soul has sustained no further injuries.”  
Alphys threw her hands on her head with a panicked tone, “What?! Then what’s wrong with them?!”  
Gaster glared at Alphys and stressed his words, “That is your job to figure out, remember?”  
Alphys curled her arms into her chest. She blushed and twiddled with her fingers as she responded quietly, but loud enough for Gaster to hear, “Y-yes, sir…”  
Gaster gave an aggravated sigh, “Now, figure out what is wrong with it so it will stop screaming!”

Alphys approached Chara carefully, unsure if their thrashes would become less restrained. As she approached, Chara spoke once more, “Please… I can’t take it…”  
Alphys gently touched Chara’s forehead. Chara had no reaction as they continued to scream and wail. No fever. Alphys began to rattle off Chara’s symptoms, “Well… they’re screaming, crying.”  
She poked Chara with a knuckle of her finger, “Non-responsive to outside stimuli.”  
Gaster rolled his eyes and sputtered, “An over-exaggeration.”  
Alphys outwardly ignored Gaster’s jab. She lowered herself towards Chara’s ears and spoke, “Chara! Can you hear me?!"  
Alphys waited a few moments, Chara did not react to Alphys’s voice. Gaster raised a ‘brow’ curiously. “…Perhaps not.”  
Alphys gave a small, but smug smile unconsciously. She turned back to Chara to continue her diagnosis. She spoke in confusion, “I think… the strangest is how they are moving. It looks like they want to thrash and push away from… something, but…”  
Alphys moved the bedsheets to confirm her suspicions; Chara’s ankles seemed to lock in place, in addition to their wrists. Alphys stepped to the side to show Gaster her find. She continued, “Their movements are… restricted at their ankles and wrists. Almost as if-“  
Gaster swiftly interrupted her: “As though it was restrained on the island in the examination room.”

Alphys’s eyes widened. Her heart dropped in her chest. How did she not see that?! She used that room during her initial examination, after all. She gave a worried tone towards Gaster, “Sir… how did you punish them today for their escape?”  
Gaster crossed his arms and glared at her, “That is of little concern at the moment.”  
Alphys pressed the issue, “Sir, it could have something to do with them screaming!”  
Gaster’s eyes narrowed at Alphys for a moment. In that moment, Alphys shrunk back and curled inward. Gaster sighed sharply before he responded casually, “I restrained the human and pretended I was continuing with its soul examination with the prototype laser, but I aimed it beside their head.”

Alphys paled slightly. Her mouth hung open in shock. She could not even formulate words for this situation. The way he described the event rubbed her the wrong way; as though this was a mundane event. She knew he was very strict and swift with his punishments with interns in the past, but this had to be the most twisted punishment she’d heard yet, all in an attempt to keep a child under control. Her face turned to anger for a moment but deflated in the next. What could she do? He was the absolute power in the underground now. If he wished it, she could be stripped of her job, or even dusted! There would probably be no one else in the underground who would sympathize with Chara at this point. If Chara was to have any semblance of comfort, she’d have to not rile him more than he already was. She could only attempt to mitigate their pain in small and subtle ways.

Alphys frowned and gently spoke, despite the need to raise her voice over Chara’s screams, “If… that’s the case… Chara could be having a violent nightmare about that machine…”  
Gaster appeared befuddled, “All this screaming over a nightmare?”  
Alphys shrugged, “I’m… not sure. The information about dreams and nightmares… it um… it didn’t match the criteria you asked me to research… for their first health report.”  
Gaster’s expression and tone evened out, “That is true…”

By this time, Chara’s screams had become hoarse and decreased to quiet sobs. Their muscles relaxed in their bed. Alphys took notice. She gently cradled Chara’s head with a sigh of relief, “The nightmare must be winding down. If… that is what this is…”  
Gaster calmly spoke, “And why would it not? Are there other sorts of things that humans experience during the night?”  
Alphys replied with a frown, “This… just doesn’t seem right. I practically screamed in Chara’s ear and they didn’t react at all. And the thrashing… this… this doesn’t seem like a normal nightmare. I think this might be something more serious!”  
Gaster sighed, “We can discuss this in the morning. If you find something in the books, you can bring it up to me then.”  
Alphys whined slightly. She began to fiddle with her fingers more. She began to speak faster, more worried, “What if this continues throughout the night? What if the screams hurt their throat so much they bleed? What if-“  
Gaster swiftly cut her off, “You’re overthinking this, Alphys.”  
Alphys stiffened, then relaxed. She sighed, “Yes, sir.”  
“However,” Gaster continued, “This does seem rather extreme for a nightmare. Even monsters can wake up from a nightmare.”  
He raised a thumb and finger to his chin to cradle it. He murmured, “Could that not be true for humans? No, monsters would have been able to hunt humans at night with greater ease if that were the case.”

By this time, Chara had quieted completely. Alphys turned back towards Chara again. She checked their pulse via their wrist. A fast heartbeat, but it soon slowed to normal. Alphys smiled in relief. She squeezed Chara’s hand in her hands. Chara let our a tired groan. Alphys blinked. She let go of Chara’s hand and stood tall, “Ch-Chara? Are you okay?!”  
Gaster relaxed his arms, his train of thought was broken. He shrugged it off, the human was a more pressing issue.

Chara grunted and opened their eyes. Their eyes took some time to adjust to the room’s light. As their eyes adjusted, they heard Alphys speak just beside them, “Oh, thank goodness you’re awake!”  
Chara groaned out, “Alphys?”  
They felt a small pain in their throat. They touched it to find no scars or wounds. They looked over at Alphys to say something and their mouth began to move. However, as they turned their head towards Alphys, they saw Gaster stood in the center of the room. Their eyes widened. They gasped. They immediately flailed and curled into a far corner of their bed. They shook and hoarsely questioned, “Why is he here?! What is going on?!”  
Their fear turned to anger at Gaster. “What did you do to me?!”  
Gaster replied dryly, “Nothing since your punishment. You, however, woke both of us up with inconsolable screaming.”  
Chara blinked, confused. They looked towards Alphys. Alphys nodded, “It’s true! You’ve been screaming for about ten minutes… then you just… stopped? A-and you were flailing in bed, but… sort of restrained?”  
Chara looked between the two with increased confusion, truly baffled. They could only muster out a “What?”  
Gaster sighed, “You deal with this Alphys. Give me any necessary details in the morning.”

With that, Gaster disappeared from the room in an instant. Chara looked back at Alphys, still confused. “I was… screaming? How did I not wake up?!”  
Alphys frowned, “I don’t know. I think you had a nightmare? But… I’ve never heard of a nightmare that… you can’t wake up from and your body lashes out to. You had no reaction to us at all! I even spoke in your ear!”  
Chara’s expression evened out, “A nightmare… I couldn’t wake from… I’m… not sure. I usually remember my dreams vividly. Yet, I cannot recall a thing.”  
Alphys blinked in surprise, “You… don’t remember? Anything?”  
Chara shook their head, “No. I only remember crying myself to sleep sometime after you left, and then you waking me.”  
“Nothing in between?”  
Chara silently shook their head. Alphys sighed, “This all doesn’t seem right.”  
She yawned, “But… I’m really tired, and you probably are, too. I have the books on humans in my room. I’ll see if I can find anything in them. Hopefully… this was just a one-time thing.”  
Chara frowned as Alphys began to turn towards the door. They spoke, “If what you say is true… I hope it has passed as well.”  
Alphys turned towards Chara, one hand on the door, “Well… goodnight, Chara.”  
Chara settled into bed, “Goodnight, Alphys.”  
Alphys closed the door. She secured both locks. With another yawn, she slowly made her way back to her room, where she flopped on the bed and fell asleep.

She awoke the next morning. She stretched before she stood. She made her way to the numerous books on her desk. She examined the table of contents of each one. When that did not satisfy her, she looked at indexes. She was able to find a passage about nightmares. She read aloud to herself, “‘Nightmares are, simply put, bad dreams’…”  
She sighed but continued on for a few sentences. She muttered to herself as she continued. After a few sentences, she took a double-take at the last sentence and closely examined it as she read, “Some people often miscategorize a ‘night terror’ as a nightmare, but the two are quite different.”  
She raised a brow at the new term, “Night… terror?"  
She quickly returned to the index. She found the term with ease and flipped to another page where it was mentioned. Alphys scoured the page until she found what she wanted. A definition. Her eyes widened as she read the definition aloud, “‘A night terror is an episode of screaming, intense fear and flailing while still asleep! A night terror episode usually lasts from seconds to a few minutes!’”  
She beamed, “This is it! I knew it wasn’t a nightmare!”  
She placed a bookmark on the page and slammed the book shut. She stood up before she clutched the book in her arms. Focus returned to her gaze. She turned to leave the room, “I have to tell Dr. Gaster!”


	16. Conclusions

Gaster looked down at the book hastily placed on his desk in front of him. The book had been opened to a page marked by a bookmark. He looked up briefly at Alphys on the other side of his desk. Despite rushing into his office, she wasn’t short of breath. She didn’t appear to have any signs of fatigue or expended energy. Instead, she stood tall and confident. Determined. He raised a ‘brow’ as he spoke incredulously, “A... night terror, you say?”  
Alphys nodded. She pointed a claw to the definition she had found on the page. Gaster calmly looked back down at the book before he picked it up and read it as Alphys spoke, “It describes exactly what happened to Chara last night. The screaming, the thrashing, the non-responsiveness, everything.”  
Gaster continued to read as he spoke, “Now that the ailment has been identified, it can be cured.”  
Alphys frowned, “Sir… if you keep reading… it says it can be caused by stress and PTSD.”  
Gaster raised a ‘brow’, “Are you honestly suggesting the human has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder?”  
Alphys’s determined gaze returned, “After everything they’ve experienced down here… I’m surprised they haven’t had symptoms like these sooner.”

Gaster shot an incredulous look towards Alphys for a moment. Gaster relaxed with a sigh. This topic wasn’t worth the debate. He decided to continue to examine the book. Alphys continued to speak, “From… what I read… there is no cure, but… if stress and PTSD is the cause… then simply being kinder to them could lessen these episodes and their severity.”  
Gaster gave a tone of contempt, “So, in other words, these episodes will continue unabated.”  
Alphys pressed the issue, “Sir, all we have to do is be kinder to Chara. Even you simply leaving them be shows some improvement!”  
Gaster placed the book down on his desk. He leaned his elbows on his desk. His chin rested on his folded hand. He frowned deeply with a serious gaze, “I have a job to do, Alphys. The human needs to stay put so I can extract blood for the substitute and conduct research on its soul. The human has constantly tried to escape and resisted during the initial soul research to the point that its soul cracked.”  
Alphys lowered her head and looked away, chastised, as Gaster continued, “So long as it continues to resist, I cannot afford to be _kinder_ to it. If you want to let your guard down and let it try to escape, _again_ , then that mistake is on your head when it runs into a feral monster and is devoured.”  
Alphys began to nervously fidget with her claws. Her voice was quiet as she spoke, “I… I am just trying to do my job, sir. I’m sorry.”  
Gaster relaxed his arms on his desk and sighed, “If you believe that being kinder to the human will lessen the severity of these night terrors, then I’d suggest you use that kindness to coerce it into obeying. To convince it to stay put.”  
Alphys hesitated, “… and… what if the night terrors continue regardless, like you said?”  
Gaster replied dryly, “Then, we will have to deal with it, and take measures to ensure the human doesn’t hurt itself during these episodes. That may include binding its limbs at night if necessary.”  
Alphys’s eyes widened in horror. She retorted, “Sir! That will make them panic even more!”  
Gaster shot a glare at Alphys. He raised his voice slightly, “I only said if it proved _necessary_ , Alphys!”

Alphys quieted immediately. She curled her hands and stood silently. Gaster closed the book. He extended it towards her. She took the book and cradled it in her arms. She silently turned to leave, but Gaster spoke up, “I have one more topic for us to discuss before you leave.”  
Alphys turned back toward her boss. Her gaze held curiosity and trepidation. She clutched the book tightly in her arms as she braced herself for whatever topic he had it store. She answered simply, nervously, “Y-Yes, sir?”  
Gaster reached into one of the drawers in his desk. He pulled out a small stack of papers and held it firmly in his hands. He looked towards Alphys with a calm gaze and tone, “I’ve found time to read your report on the correlation and causation between the human’s mental health and the damage to its soul.”  
Alphys blinked in surprise. Her posture relaxed. A small smile dawned on her face as her boss continued, “I must say that it was very well researched and put together. Easily your best put together report yet.”  
Alphys began to beam, “Th-Thank you, sir!”  
Gaster frowned in response. His tone became firm, “ _However_ …”  
Alphys frowned as Gaster flipped through the papers of her report. He spoke calmly, “The research used can only give us correlation. I will admit, this report has opened my mind to some small links between the crack and the human’s behavior I hadn’t noticed before. But, until the soul scanning device has been upgraded fully, the conclusions in this report are only a hypothesis at best. Not a sound theory.”

Distraught flashed on Alphys’s face. All that work only to have her theory made a hypothesis?! In part, she understood his reasoning; if there wasn’t enough hard evidence, then it would only be a hypothesis that only had some experimentation. Yet, to hear it, especially after over ten straight days of dedication, was disheartening. She hung her head. She’d have hung her arms if she wasn’t holding the book that led to the diagnosis of Chara’s episode. Instead, she clutched it tightly. Her body and arms began to shake a little. A lump formed in her throat. Gaster noticed this disappointment. Before he could speak. Alphys turned and ran out of his office, the door slammed behind her. Gaster could only pause at the sight of Alphys fleeing from his office. His mind a confused blank. He settled back into his desk with a sigh.

Only after she began to run down the hallways, did the tears Alphys held back finally drop from her eyes. She paused her running a few hallways away. She leaned on a nearby wall and began to sob. All while she clutched her book tightly.

————————————————————————————

Chara was able to sleep with no more episodes, at least to their knowledge. No one else disturbed their sleep. Dreams returned to their mind. Nothing they hadn’t seen before. They were able to wake calmly in what they presumed to be morning. No knock on their door disturbed them. They were partially surprised they awoke before Alphys came with breakfast. All they could do was wait.

The familiar knock eventually came. Chara stood from their bed as Alphys spoke, “Hi… Chara… are you awake?”  
Chara raised a brow. That tone… it was… saddened? Chara approached the door and spoke, “Yes. Is… something wrong?”  
A sniffle sounded from the other side of the door, “O-Oh… I-I’m sorry. I guess I should have waited a little longer to um… compose myself.”  
The panel opened. A tray with a simple fruit salad, bread, and a glass of water was slid under. Chara sat down cross-legged and put the tray in their lap. Their tone was firm, but held concern, “What happened?”  
Alphys sat next to the door she sighed, “Well… I have some good news… and some bad news.”  
Chara tore into the bread. In between their chews, they muttered, “Fine… good news… first.”

Alphys’s tone turned calmer, “The good news is we know what happened last night. You had what’s called a night terror.”  
Chara blinked, the name was familiar, “I… I hear that term before… but I suppose I mistook it for another term for a nightmare.”  
Alphys shook her head, “According to the books, that is a common misconception. But… as we know… its a more intense experience.”  
“…Is there any cure?”  
Alphys groaned. She cupped her face lightly as she spoke, “That’s… part of the bad news.”  
Chara quickly finished off their piece of bread, “There is no cure.”  
“And the only way to mitigate the episodes… is to reduce your stress… to be nicer to you.”  
Chara paused. The fork they had raised to their mouth, skewered with some melon, lowered back into the bowl. A look of disbelief washed over them. A chuckle echoed from them for a few moments. Alphys silently let it pass. Chara spoke after their small fit of laughter, “These night terror will continue forever, then. Because he will never stop.”  
Alphys affirmed, “He… he said he couldn’t afford to be nice to you. Because of the substitute and soul research…”  
Chara smirked, “He would rather break my will to ensure I will stay in his grasp. I knew it.”

Alphys stood. She nearly cried out, “B-but! You have me! I-I know I can’t do much, but… I’ll comfort you any way I can! I promise I’ll be here for you!”  
Her voice became gently. She leaned on the door, “I… I’ll do what I can to mitigate whatever he does to you. I… I still have to obey his rules but… I’ll find ways to bend them… I promise.”  
Chara finished their breakfast as Alphys spoke. They frowned as they set the tray back on the floor, “Do you truly think he won’t notice?”  
Alphys sighed, “Maybe eventually… but… there are no cameras here… so…”  
Chara gently lifted the panel and pushed the tray out, “And what if there are cameras in that new room he is designing?”  
Alphys pushed the tray aside, “Well… they’re only cameras. They can only see us talking.”  
Chara raised a brow, “He has no audio recordings?”  
Alphys’s eyes narrowed in thought, “I… don’t think that’s possible… not with the level of technology we have at the moment.”  
Chara sat against the wall next to the door, by now, their usual spot. On the other side, Alphys mirrored their actions and sat down. Back to back if not for the wall. Chara sighed in relief, “That is good to know. Perhaps this could work, after all.”

Their tone turned serious, “However, you do know that if he finds out, there is the possibility he will order you to hurt me to punish both of us.”  
Alphys winced, “I… didn’t want to think about that. But… if it comes to it…”  
She grumbled, “I don’t know what I’d do. Hurting you would be against my job-“  
Her tone and face brightened, “Hurting you would be against my job description as a caretaker! So, I can’t hurt you!”  
Chara snarked, “We will have to see if he agrees at a later date.”  
Alphys frowned, “I’m not going to hurt you. I… I have only just begun to have the substitute.”  
“Your energy has increased, correct?”  
Alphys hugged herself, “Yes… I’m not as tired… I haven’t had anymore… _cravings_ other than for the substitute if I miss my dosage by a few hours. I’m… sure if I hugged you, I’d be fine.”  
“I do not want a hug right now.”  
Alphys gave a knowing smile, “But, you will need one again someday.”

Chara let loose a small chuckle. Alphys was quick to change the topic, “Oh! Um… he read the report.”  
Chara rolled their eyes, “Finally. And?”  
Alphys sounded desponded, “He handwaved my conclusions to a hypothesis… he said without the soul scanning device… my theory cannot be proven.”  
Chara hesitated. They bit their tongue softly. They knew it. They told her this would happen, that he wouldn’t listen. But by now, Chara knew better than to toss biter words at her. In their pause, Alphys spoke despondently, “You were right… he didn’t listen. I… don’t know if he’ll listen to me anymore.”  
“At least, not on the topic of my mental health.”  
“No… definitely not. But… like I said… I will help. I can listen and comfort you. If you want… I can try to come around more often. Even if it's only to hold your hand for a few minutes.”  
Chara smiled, “I will consider it. Thank you, Alphys.”

Alphys began to collect the tray, “Well… I should get going. I’ll… come again in the afternoon to check on you… okay?”  
Chara’s tone neutralized, “Okay.”  
Alphys replied kindly, “Bye.”  
“Goodbye for now.” Chara heard Alphys’s footsteps echo on the linoleum, and her tail lightly drag behind her.

An excerpt from the journal of Dr. W. D. Gaster  
 _The human had an episode of inconsolable screaming and thrashing last night. Thanks to Alphys’s quick research, the ailment has been discovered to be called a “night terror”. Such ailment appears to be caused by stress. This could mean that the human’s will is close to its breaking point, much faster than I had predicted. However, Alphys argues in order to mitigate these episodes, I must be ‘nicer’ to the human. Something that I cannot afford to do so long as the human resists and attempts to escape. I must evaluate how far she’s fallen for the human’s tricks, as she appeared devastated on my reaction to her report on the human’s mental health. She may already be too far gone.  
Meanwhile, the development of the human’s new room is moving along as expected. While I wait for the human’s body to regain its lost blood, I will turn my focus to that task, while Serol’s team continues to iterate on the soul scanning beam. So far, everything is now settled into a new schedule._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is now officially caught up on this platform! This means that updates are going to slow down to once every fortnight; the rate for every platform. Thanks for reading thus far!


	17. Intruder

Chara found little sleep. Their night terrors came to them once more after a few days of silent sleep. They stirred from their sleep with the sound of Alphys’s distressed voice, “Chara? Chara? Can you hear me?”  
Chara’s eyes flickered open. Their room was once again alight. Alphys stood at Chara’s bedside, her hands clasped together in worry. Chara felt their sheets tossed around them, tangled at their feet and side. They felt a familiar sting in their throat; they had been screaming. Chara looked over at Alphys, still groggy, “Alphys?… Did it… happen again?”  
Alphys relaxed her arms and nodded, “Y-yeah…”  
Chara took a long sigh. They rubbed their face deeply, especially around their eyes. Alphys kneeled down at Chara’s bedside. Her voice was calmer and gentle, “It wasn’t as long this time… only about three minutes, and… your movements were still self-restrained.”  
Chara let out a dry chuckle, “I am still not sure how that happens.”

Alphys looked away with a frown. She cleared her throat before she looked back at Chara, “Um… anyway. Do you feel okay? Do you need anything? Maybe some water to soothe your throat?”  
Chara paused. They touched their throat gently. They grumbled before they spoke, “That does sound nice right about now…”  
Alphys gave a small smile, “Alright.”  
Alphys stood and wiped down her lab coat, disheveled from accidentally sleeping in it and responding to Chara’s screams. She spoke calmly, “You just keep laying there. I’ll get you a tall glass of water.”  
Chara nodded slightly as they settled on their bed, “I will try not to fall asleep.”  
Alphys approached the door. She hit the light switch, the room once more bathed in darkness. She looked back at Chara before she opened the door, “If you do, that’s okay. You need your sleep, too.”  
Chara let out a noise of affirmation before Alphys walked out the door and locked it behind her.

Alphys yawned as she made her way to the makeshift kitchen she had set up. She gently took one glass from the cupboard and approached the sink. She turned the faucet. After a few moments, the glass was nearly full of crystal clear water, but not enough to spill easily. Alphys gently held the glass with both hands, careful not to scrape her claws against the glass’s surface. She turned to exit the kitchen when she heard distant footsteps. At first, she thought nothing of them; perhaps it was Dr. Gaster coming to check on Chara’s night terror episode? No. These footsteps were heavy, disorderly. Nothing like his footsteps. She raised a brow, curious at first. No one else should be in the lower lab without notice except for Gaster and herself. Especially at this hour. Worry began to build. Was it Serol with an emergency? She shook her head; no, he would have called first. Something wasn’t right. Her worry turned to dread.

Alphys peeked out of the room carefully. The immediate hallway was empty. On her right, she could hear the footsteps just beyond the corner. As the footsteps grew closer, she heard another strange noise; heavy sniffing, tracking. A chill ran down her spine. Her dread grew. Before she could process much more, the figure turned the corner. The being was large, masculine in nature. Its face rounded and its jaw extended out. Its rough skin was a deep violet. Tufts of hair stuck on the figure’s head, elbows, chin, and back of its hands. Its claws and teeth were sharp, as its jaw hung open slightly in anticipation. Behind the monster was a long, heavy tail; much larger than Alphys’s own tail. The monster wore a simple black vest with baggy maroon slacks. No shoes on its feet, revealing its long clawed toes.

The figure saw Alphys immediately. At first, he froze; a small tinge of fear seeped into his gaze. Such fear melted away after a moment as a realization washed over him. He pointed at Alphys. He spoke with a bit of surprise, “You… you’re the human’s caretaker, aren’t you?”  
Alphys held the glass of water closer to her chest. She leaned forward slightly, her stance was rigid and on guard. She questioned cautiously, “Who are you? Y-You’re not supposed to be down here…”  
A dark smile curled on the intruder’s face. He took a few steps toward Alphys. Specks of drool made his teeth glisten, “It _is_ down here! Where is it?”  
Alphys shook a little at his approach. She had begun to curl in on herself slightly. Her suspicions were confirmed; he was after Chara. She had to shake off her fear to protect them. She took a deep breath, a determined gaze returned to her face. With one hand, she began to reach into her coat pocket, “I-if you don’t leave… I’ll have to call the Royal Guard!”

The intruder grit his teeth. Anger flashed on his face. In a swift motion, he charged Alphys. She yelped as she moved to the side, to the nearby wall. The glass of water fell out of her grasp and crashed onto the ground. Water and shattered glass spilled next to her. The intruder turned towards Alphys in a flash. His hands slammed onto the wall just above her. Alphys curled down but still stood against the wall as the intruder loomed over her. For a moment, the two were silent. The intruder bared his teeth towards Alphys, “Hehe… those are some brave words for such a weak monster. You…”  
His words faded. His eyes widened, yet gained a strange focus on Alphys. He leaned in towards Alphys and began to sniff vigorously. Alphys cringed and curled closer to the wall, but found no way out. After a few moments, the monster took one last, long sniff. He sighed contently and smirked, “You have the human’s scent all over you! I’ll find it in no time at all, thanks to you.”

Alphys shook, her eyes widened in fear. She still had her hand in her pocket and tried to reach in further. The monster quickly noticed her arm move. He let out a ‘huh?’ noise as his eyes shifted to her arm. He spoke with a dark curiosity, “Whaddya got there?”  
He grabbed her wrist and held it tightly. He jolted her arm up, revealing the item in her hand; her cell phone. He growled, “Trying to call the Royal Guard? Big mistake.”  
With his free hand, the intruder ripped the phone from Alphys’s claws. Alphys yelled in protest but was unable to reach for her phone. The intruder tossed it aside, it clattered to the floor far out of Alphys’s reach. Before Alphys could see where her phone landed, the intruder struck her in the head, hard. She yelped and fell to the ground with an ‘oof’ sound. Glass shards embedded in her coat, but she remained unharmed due to her scales. The intruder bared down on her, “I’m getting that human no matter what. If our new leader’s not gonna help out his sick people, then I will!”  
He lifted his foot and began repeatedly stomping on Alphys’s head and back. He turned his body a few times to bash her with his large tail. A few tears began to well in her eyes as he repeatedly bashed her. As he struck her head, her vision began to blur. Her head fell to the ground and her body relaxed. Her eyes closed. She went still and silent. After a few more stomps, the intruder kicked Alphys against the wall. This also had no response. He frowned, “Heh, she was weaker than I thought…”

He turned down the hallway, opposite the way he came. He sniffed the air vigorously. After a moment his mouth watered, “Down this hallway, huh? Well, better hurry before she wakes up and he knows I’m here.”  
He sprinted down the hallway as he muttered to himself proudly, “Just hang on Susie, your big brother’s gonna help you get better soon.”

Alphys laid in the hallway for a few moments. The sound of the intruder’s footsteps soon faded. She grumbled and groaned. The blows to her head had left her disoriented. She smiled, thankful for the scales that protected her skull, lest the damage be worse. She slowly got to her knees and crawled to her phone. Her hands shook as she fought off her disoriented state. She struggled to dial a number but was able to. As it rang, Alphys spoke to herself, “Don’t worry, Chara; help is on the way.”

——————————————————————————

Chara could do nothing but lay in bed and wait. They felt the call of sleep creep on them, but the soreness of their throat and their active mind kept them awake. Chara was worried these night terrors, but the damage two episodes had done had been minimal thus far. The thought still hung in their mind; what if they did get worse. Alphys mentioned Gaster said they’d have to be restrained in necessary. Chara shivered at the thought of nightly restraints; any restraints in general. Anything that reminded them of _that_ experience. The ringing returned to them as these thoughts washed over.

Chara turned away from those thoughts with the sound of footsteps. The ringing silenced. The steps approached quickly. Chara raised a brow curiously; Alphys didn’t have to rush, it was only a glass of water. Chara sighed and stood from their bed. They took a moment to stretch and yawn. The footsteps had stopped in front of their door. Chara spoke calmly, “You didn’t have to rush. It doesn’t hurt that much.”  
No response. They raised a brow. Usually, Alphys would respond. Chara shrugged it off; maybe she was tired as well and her rush had kept her awake. Their night terror did wake her up, after all. They approached the door in the darkness. They heard the panel’s lock slide open. Chara sat down in front of the door and waited for the glass to be slid under. The panel door slowly opened. A hand slid under, masked by the darkness. Chara reached for the hand at first but paused. They noticed something; there was nothing in this hand’s grasp. The hand was also larger than they remembered Alphys’s was. But it was too late. The hand blindly touched Chara’s leg. The hand then grasped the bottom of Chara’s gown and yanked them. Chara gasped. The ringing returned. They fell onto their back as their legs were dragged under the door. Chara reacted quickly. They leveraged their other leg against the door. Chara felt themselves stop for a moment. They heard a growl outside the door before the hand readjusted onto their leg and began to pull them through the door once more. As their navel began to disappear under the door, the stress on their propped up leg began to strain. They winced slightly before they curled inward and pressed their hands against the door as well. They heard a dark chuckle just beyond the door from a voice they did not recognize, “You can’t push back forever.”

A chill ran down Chara’s spine. The ringing intensified. They could feel their heart beat quickly in their chest. Chara grunted and used all their strength to pull their leg back under the panel. Chara looked down at the hand that threatened to pull them under the door. The skin felt rough though there were no scales or corse hairs to be felt. Chara kept the tug of war stable for a few moments before they felt the monster pull on them more. They knew at this strength they wouldn’t be able to hold on; they would be dragged out, at the mercy of what lay on the other side. They looked down at the hand that grasped them. A desperate thought crossed their mind. One which they’d only have one shot. They hung their jaw open and breathed heavily. They breathed in sharply before they quickly leaned down and bit down on the hand. Chara heard a grunt on the other side of the door. The hand flew back behind the door and off of Chara. Chara wasted no time; they skittered away from the door to near the center of their room. They heard the voice, shocked, “Damn brat fucking bit me!”  
The panel opened once more, the arm shot from under the door to its full length, far too short to reach Chara. The arm slumped under the door, completely still. All was still, except for Chara’s breathing. The intruder behind the door chuckled. He crouched down to see under the panel. His eye could be seen in the darkness as it locked onto Chara. He chuckled, “Guess the rumors about you being able to fight were true. You’re a stubborn brat, most humans would panic… Oh… but you _are_ panicking.”  
Chara scudded to their bed and climbed on it, out of the intruder’s sight. The intruder taunted, “What’s wrong? I thought you were stubborn? Hehe, guess you’ve been beaten down by your capture, huh?”  
Chara covered their ears, “Stop it! Go away!”

The intruder’s arm slid back behind the door. The door began to shake. The intruder grunted before a slam sounded on the door, “Course they’d have this door locked up tight.”  
A dark chuckle echoed, “But it’s only a damn wooden door. I just gotta break it before that damned skeleton wakes up.”  
Chara’s voice wavered, but shouted, “Someone will hear you!”  
“Heh, almost sounds like you like it here.”  
Chara was silent for a moment. They hesitated to speak, “I don’t.”  
“So, why don’t you come with me?”  
Chara raised a brow towards the door. Go with this monster? Yes, Chara wanted to escape, but they didn’t know what intentions this monster had for them. None other than the obvious. Chara didn’t respond. The intruder began to vigorously scratch on the door around the hinges, “You hate him for killing those traitors, right?”  
Chara grasped their locket. The whispers returned, though barely heard through the ringing. Chara growled and replied with quiet venom, “Shut up.”  
The scratches never stopped, at times it was more intense. The intruder replied, “You hate him for locking you up, for taking your blood and giving it to _some_ monsters.”  
Chara shouted, “Shut up! I know you are trying to taunt me until I go towards the door again! It will not work!”  
The intruder began to bellow over in a wheezing fit of laughter. He spoke, “Alright, brat. That’s not a problem.”  
A slam sounded against the door. The intruder spoke darkly, “I ‘ L L J U S T C O M E G E T Y O U!”

Slam. Slam. Slam. Repeatedly against the door. Chara curled under the covers and shook. They already knew nothing in the room would be useful as a weapon. The most they could use was the bedsheets, and that’d only give them a second at most; not enough time to escape their new tormentor. A few tears welled in Chara’s eyes. They shook. They plugged their ears tightly in an attempt to block the noises. The ringing never stopped, and partially helped to block the sound of the slams. Yet, Chara could still hear. Slowly, the slams became more intense. For a moment, they could have sworn the hinges had become loosened.

A war cry built outside the door. A ‘whoosh’ sound whistled through the air outside Chara’s room. An authoritative shout sounded, “Get away from that door!”  
Chara stopped their shakes. They unplugged their ears. That voice was familiar. The name… Chara wasn’t sure. They know the name had been said, but their mind wasn’t fully aware at the time. The Royal Guard had come to defend them, at least to the point of not allowing another monster to claim them. The intruder hissed in response. Another ‘woosh’ sounded. Another voice came from down the hall, “Chara! Are you alright?!”  
Chara stood from their bed. That was Alphys! They took a few steps towards the door before they stopped. The last time more than fresh in their mind.

The intruder growled at the guard that stopped him. Scratches and ridges damaged the door, especially near the lock and hinges. He was so close, and this fish-like monster wasn’t gonna stop him! He spat, “Why you miserable-“  
Undyne held her spear out in front of her. She swiftly interrupted, “Shut it, punk! Now, you’re either gonna step away from that door and go to jail, or you’re gonna stand there and die. We got orders to not pull our punches with assholes who try and steal the kid.”  
The intruder’s eye twitched. He roared, “Fuck your boss’s orders! And fuck his distribution! My little sister is dying and she can’t get any fucking substitute!”  
He slammed a hand on the door near the knob, “Meanwhile, we got a perfectly good human locked up in this room!”  
Undyne gave a dumbfounded look for a moment before she roared back, “Because the damn kid’s the _source_ of the substitute, you dumbass! Without it, we’ll all die!”  
“Fuck off with that crap!” The intruder pointed at Undyne, “I bet you got a batch.”  
He pointed at Alphys, “And I bet you did, too!”  
Alphys cowered back behind Undyne but said nothing. Undyne gritted her teeth. She glowered at the intruder, “I gave up my supply.”  
Alphys blinked and looked up at Undyne in surprise. Undyne gave her reward away? Even though it was an extremely short supply? For a moment, Alphys gave a small smile at Undyne. The intruder interrupted. He laughed in disbelief, “You dumb fucking bitch. No one would fucking do that!”

The intruder lowered his stance, “I’m sick of your lies, and that skeleton’s lies! Help monsters? There’s still sick monsters that he won’t give any substitute to! So I’ll…”  
He swung his arm down towards the door. His claws deeply dug into the door next to the hinges. He shouted while his claws dug into the wood, “I’ll feed ‘em myself!”  
Alphys gasped. Undyne growled and acted quickly. She tossed her spear in a flash, another ‘woosh’ sounded. The spear dug into the intruder’s side. The monster grunted and growled as the pain hit them. Undyne readied another spear. She briefly turned her eyes to Alphys, “Alphys, stand back!”  
Alphys quickly took a few steps back as Undyne began to toss more spears at the intruder. The intruder tried to dodge but found more and more spears dug into his flesh. Soon, he fell to his knees. His vision went blurry. He fell to the floor. He groaned and moved his mouth, as though he had tried to speak. He stopped moving. After a moment, his body dissipated into a pile of dust with his rough outline. All was now silent other than deep breaths. The intruder was gone.


	18. Statements

All was still as the intruder dissipated into dust. Undyne and Alphys hesitated to move. Only when the intruder completely dissipated did they both relax. Alphys let out a sigh of relief. A sharp gasp followed. She called out in worry, “Chara!?”  
Alphys rushed to Chara’s door. She was careful to step around the dust. She gagged lightly as she stepped over the pile in order to stand in front of the door. She quickly fished out her key to unlock the door. She opened the door and stepped into the room a few paces, now able to stand comfortably. She saw Chara stand in the center of the room. They appeared shaken. They clutched their locket tightly as they shook. No new wounds or scars could be seen. No tears dropped from their eyes, but panic and concern. Chara locked eyes with Alphys. A small gasp escaped them. Tears began to well in their eyes as they winced out, “Alphys…”  
Alphys rushed up to Chara with a relieved smile, “Thank goodness you’re-“  
As Alphys got close, Chara silently and swiftly wrapped their arms around her. Alphys paused. Shock grew on her face. She looked down at Chara to see their face buried deep into her shoulder. She heard a few quiet sobs from them. Alphys relaxed. She smiled contently and reciprocated the hug. She supported them by their shoulder as she gently patted the top of their head. The two stood there in silence for a few long moments.

Undyne had walked up and glanced in the room to see the commotion, but relaxed as soon as she took in the sight. She sighed and looked down at the dust of the intruder. Her first thought was obvious; she’d need to call someone to clean this up and quickly. Then, she had another, more important, thought; how did this guy get in? She remembered she’d gotten in because Alphys let her in both times. Her eyes flashed up at Alphys; there was no way she’d let someone like that in. Undyne’s eyes drifted back to the dust pile. Her eyes widened; something just barely stuck out of the pile. Undyne carefully reached for the item with her fingertips. She pulled it out and shook the excess dust off the item. The item was thin and easily held in her hand; a keycard. She raised a brow. It took a moment, but Undyne remembered a keycard scanner to the side of the elevator to the lower lab. She flipped over the keycard to find any sign of ownership, none could be discerned at a glance. Undyne looked back at Alphys curiously. Maybe she knew something about this? She stepped over the pile of dust and entered Chara’s room. She spoke, “Hey, Alphys, does this look familiar?”  
Alphys turned her head towards Undyne briefly. She frowned, “Um… hold on one moment.”  
She looked down at Chara, their sobs had silenced. They simply rested against Alphys’s chest at this point. She spoke gently, “Are you ready to let go?”  
Chara looked up at Alphys. Their face relaxed to a disappointed frown. They replied quietly, with tinges of disappointment, “…for now.”  
Chara and Alphys slowly unwrapped their embrace. Chara stepped towards their bed. They sat down with a long frown before they wiped the tears from their face. They looked towards Undyne as she approached Alphys.

Undyne held out the keycard towards Alphys, “I found this in the dust pile.”  
Alphys looked at the keycard. Her eyes widened in shock. She spoke, “That’s… one of the keycards needed to activate the elevator down here to the lower lab!”  
She took the keycard and examined it, “I… I don’t understand. All of the keycards were confiscated other that mine— er… well, Serol and his team were given keycards as well, but…”  
Undyne pointed a thumb back at the dust pile, “I’m guessing he wasn’t on the team.”  
Alphys shook her head, “No. I’ve never seen that monster before this incident.”  
Undyne sighed, “Guess we’ll have to talk to them, too.”  
She looked at Alphys with a serious gaze, “But, just in case, do you have your keycard?”  
Alphys nodded before she handed the intruder’s keycard back to Undyne, “I understand, it’s here.”  
Alphys reached into her coat, a different pocket than the one she kept her phone. She pulled out a keycard identical to the intruder’s keycard. Undyne’s expression relaxed, “Well, that should clear you of suspicion.”  
Alphys raised a brow as she stowed her keycard away, “Of what?”  
“Of letting the monster in. Someone could have given him the keycard.”  
Alphys’s eyes widened in shock, “You really think someone would do that?!"  
Undyne shrugged, “I dunno. We don’t have a motive, other than the obvious.”

Undyne looked over at Chara, “Speaking of which, I gotta ask you some questions, too.”  
Chara blinked. They rubbed their throat lightly as they spoke, “That makes sense. You need my statement since I was involved.”  
Alphys noticed Chara rubbing their neck, “Oh! Is your throat still sore? The glass of water I was getting for you shattered…”  
Chara relaxed their arms on their lap, “I am fine, but if you want to get the water, I won’t stop you.”  
Undyne looked over to Alphys, “It probably is best I take the kid’s statement alone, anyway. I’ll probably have to do the same with you. Damn procedure and all.”  
Alphys nodded, “Okay. I’ll be right back.”  
Alphys quietly left the room, the door closed, but did not lock it.

Undyne turned toward Chara. She spoke evenly, “Alright. Guess we’ll just start from the beginning. When did he first show up?”  
Chara sat on the edge of their bed. They relaxed their forearms on their legs. They calmly recounted, “Only minutes ago. I was awakened by Alphys in response to night terrors I had been having an-“  
Undyne shook her head and gave a perturbed look, “Whoa, whoa. What the hell’s a night terror?”  
Chara raised a brow, but otherwise kept an even expression, “I do not believe that is important to this investigation.”  
Undyne huffed, “Geez, I was just curious.”  
Chara’s eyebrow lowered. They closed their eyes for a moment and sighed, “A night terror is an episode in which I suddenly appear to wake from my sleep and scream inconsolably. I also thrash about and am not able to wake until the episode ends.”  
Undyne reeled back slightly. She hissed between her teeth, “Yikes, that… I… I don’t know what to say about that.”  
Chara’s expression normalized as they spoke dryly, “Nothing but a result of him torturing me.”

Undyne frowned but didn’t respond. An awkward silence passed between the two. Chara continued calmly, “Regardless. I awoke with a slightly sore throat and hoarse voice. Alphys offered to get a glass of water to soothe my throat slightly before I fell asleep once more. She left and locked the door behind her.”  
Undyne nodded, “Okay… so, what happened next?"  
Chara bit their lip. They hugged themselves lightly. They frowned, “I thought Alphys had returned, but she did not respond to me. I approached the door before the panel opened. I noticed too late it wasn’t Alphys’s hand, as it was dark. I was grabbed by my leg and almost dragged under the door. I managed to fight back and bite his hand. He let me go and I got away from the door.”  
Undyne raised her brow in disbelief. A smile grew on her face, “You bit him. To get away?”  
Chara nodded, “Yes.”  
Undyne covered her mouth and began to guffaw. Chara looked up at her with a perturbed look. They spoke in an annoyed tone, “You do not believe me?”  
Undyne’s laughter died down. She grinned widely as she spoke, “Nah, I believe you! Just kinda funny; a human bitting a monster, when it's normally the other way around.”  
Chara lightly glared at Undyne’s comment. Undyne’s smile lowered to a serious frown, “Guess you wouldn’t find it funny, after all.”

Another awkward silence passed. Undyne sighed, “Look, let’s just finish the questions, alright?”  
Chara relaxed. They continued, “There is not much else to say after that. He tried to taunt me back towards the door as he made some sort of scratching sound. I would assume damage to the door. When that failed, he resorted to brute strength to break down the door. You and Alphys showed up after that.”  
“That’s it, huh?” Undyne sighed in relief, “He didn’t try to bite you when you were struggling in his grasp?”  
Chara shook their head, “No.”  
Undyne scratched her head, “Huh. You would think the second any starving monster would have the chance they’d just chomp down. Then again… he _did_ say something about his sister not getting any of the substitute.”  
Chara replied casually, “Then his intent was to feed me to this sister of his.”

Chara blinked. A thought crossed their mind, one they hadn’t considered. It wasn’t terribly important, but their curiosity had budded. They looked curiously at Undyne, “How does he determine which monsters receive the substitute?”  
Undyne gave a look of disbelief at Chara’s question, “Huh?”  
She paused, “Well… I mean, Alphys would probably know more about this than me, right?”  
“Perhaps, but you received some substitute. Why?”  
Undyne sighed, “Yeah. I did. About two weeks worth, or something. It was my reward for guarding you a while back. I ate one of ‘em, but I… well, you heard. I gave mine away.”  
Chara’s eyes narrowed in suspicion, “Why?”

Undyne’s fin ears dropped slightly along with her expression. She began to recount, “I, um, I was on my way home after I received the substitute after a patrol shift. After a while, I heard someone cry for help. I ran and I found two kids. One was on the ground, face first in the mud. The other kid approached me with tears. Had to calm them down before they could tell me that their friend had been tired all day and suddenly hit the ground.”  
Chara asked curiously, “Was the one on the ground unconscious?”  
Undyne nodded, “Out cold. Like they’d actually _Fell Down_.”  
Chara raised a brow silently at the words Undyne stressed, “Fell down? That is all?”  
Undyne sighed, “No. It’s something different. Guess, humans wouldn’t know about that.”  
She continued with a small somber, “When monsters are about to pass away naturally, or in this case because we’re starving, we just… stop moving. Or responding. Then, after a while, we just… die. We turn to dust, never feeling a thing, or so everyone says.”  
Chara’s eyes widened for a moment. They gave a look of understanding, “So, that child was on the cusp of death.”  
Undyne nodded, “Yeah, I knew it was happening after a bit. I think their friend knew, too. I remembered the substitute I had. It wasn’t much, but it’d probably push the kid back from the brink. I grabbed a few and I shoved it down the kid’s throat. We ended up sitting there for who knows how long before the kid woke up. Their friend still had to help them up and walk, but they were fine. I gave the two the rest of the substitute and told them if they could have ‘em, or save ‘em when someone else is about to Fall Down.”  
Chara crossed their arms and replied dryly, “So, you empathized with a child, and you are fine with your leader using and torturing a child.”  
Undyne’s fins perked up. She huffed at Chara, “That’s a completely different situation.”  
Chara gave a knowing look. They smirked, “Because I am human, correct?”

Undyne turned away from Chara and didn’t respond. Chara opened their mouth to speak but heard footsteps approach from down the hall. Chara’s expression and tone normalized, “It appears our interview is over. Unless you have any more questions for me.”  
Undyne walked towards the door, “I don’t.”  
Undyne opened the door. She was greeted by the monster she expected; Alphys. In her hands, Alphys held a new glass of water. Undyne spoke with a grumble, “It’s getting late. I’ll ask you questions in the morning.”  
Alphys nodded. She frowned. She noticed Undyne’s expression was off. Was it the conversation? Alphys pushed it aside to speak, “Okay. Um… I think… I think we should keep the dust here until Dr. Gaster sees it. He might not believe us at first. Well, until he sees the camera footage.”  
Undyne looked around, “Any in this area?”  
Alphys shook her head, “No. They’re spread throughout the lab, though.”  
Undyne stretched and grunted, “Alright. I’m going home to bed. I’ll come back after I wake up. You’re going to have to tell him when he wakes up.”  
Alphys sighed, “Yeah… I will.”

Undyne walked off towards the elevator without another word. Alphys stepped over the dust and reentered the room. She asked curiously, “Did… you two argue?”  
Chara shook their head, “Just an exchange of ideas.”  
Alphys handed the glass of water over to Chara. Chara quickly gulped down the glass as Alphys replied, “Undyne just now, seemed… off, I think? I don’t know how else to describe it.”  
Chara drank most of the water. They took a deep breath. Chara mused, “Well, she _did_ just kill someone.”  
Chara gulped down the rest of the water quickly, Alphys gave an unsure look, “Yeah…”  
Chara gave a satisfied noise as they pulled the glass away from their lips. Chara was quick to change the subject, “Regardless, it is late.”  
Alphys nodded with a small smile, “Oh! Yes, we should get to sleep.”  
Alphys gently took back the empty glass from Chara. Chara began to settle back into bed with a yawn. Alphys spoke gently, “Goodnight, Chara.”  
Chara replied wearily, “Goodnight.”  
No more words were exchanged as Alphys left the room and locked the door and panel behind her.

———————————————————————————

A knock echoed on the door to Dr. Gaster’s office. He looked up at it curiously. It was early, what could Alphys want now? He sighed, “What is it, Alphys?”  
Alphys opened the door. She appeared nervous. He groaned internally; what happened now? He mentally prepared himself before Alphys cleared her throat and spoke, “Sir. We… the lower lab… had a break in last night.”  
A pause. Silence. Gaster’s eyes widened. Disbelief and shock grew across his skull. He stood from his desk. Anger started to bubble in his voice, “What. Happened?”  
Alphys replied calmly, “A monster, somehow got one of the keycards and tried to take Chara. But I called for help. Undyne from the Royal Guard arrived before they could be taken.”  
Gaster approached, his gaze and tone commanding, “Where is this intruder?”  
Alphys frowned. She looked away submissively, “Dust in front of Chara’s door.”

Gaster paused. He quickly grasped Alphys’s arm. In an instant, the two teleported beside the door to Chara’s room. He looked down in front of Chara’s door. He paused again. A pile of dust. Fear was strewn across his gaze for a moment. His eyes even flashed in color. Anger swiftly took over. His free hand curled tightly into a fist. He gritted his teeth. Questions poured into his skull. How did this happen?! Who did this? Was this intruder alone or working with someone? Did he have a traitor in his midst? He paused on that last one. He looked towards Alphys, anger barely held back, “Alphys. Show me your keycard. Now.”  
Alphys remained calm but recognized the building rage. She quickly fished out her own keycard and spoke, “Undyne has the intruder’s keycard. She’ll be back once she’s rested, too.”  
Gaster appeared to relax slightly, “How long?”  
Alphys shrugged before she fiddled with her claws, “Um... I’m not sure? A couple hours at most? It was pretty late when it happened.”  
Gaster let loose a sharp sigh. His tone evened out, “Fine. I will examine the camera footage in the meantime.”  
He looked over at Chara’s door, “Have you fed the human yet?”  
Alphys shook her head, “No, not yet. I wanted to make sure I told you what happened as soon as possible.”  
Gaster looked back at Alphys with a strict voice, “Once you are done with that, I want a recount of all the keycards that were confiscated. Double— No— _triple_ check your recount before you report it to me.”  
Alphys nodded, “Okay. What about the intruder’s dust?”  
Gaster sighed, “I will call more of the Royal Guard to deal with this crime scene. I will have to oversee the selection carefully, due to the proximity to the human.”  
He mused and looked towards the door, “I may have to move the human altogether for the investigation.”  
He looked back at Alphys, “Regardless, you have your orders. Now move.”  
Gaster teleported away in an instant. Alphys sighed, “I better get started...”


	19. Investigation

Chara awoke to noises outside their room. Two voices. Chara was too tired to fully comprehend the conversation at first. However, they were able to discern the two voices; they belonged to Alphys and Gaster. Chara’s eyes widened. They stayed still, they listened. They heard Gaster sigh, “I will call more of the Royal Guard to deal with the scene of the crime. I will have to oversee the selection carefully, due to the proximity to the human.”  
Chara raised a brow before they heard him muse, “I may have to move the human altogether for the investigation.”  
Chara’s eyes narrowed. Move them? Where? Could it be another chance to get away?! Their heart skipped a beat for a moment. Was the new room ready?! Chara shook that thought aside; no, they’d be moved there immediately if that was the case. Perhaps even sooner. These thoughts were interrupted by Alphys’s voice, “I better get started…”

Chara stood from their bed and spoke cautiously, “Alphys?”  
Alphys replied back calmly, “Oh, I’m sorry, Chara. Did we wake you?”  
Chara made a noise of affirmation, “Is he gone?”  
Alphys returned the noise of affirmation. Chara continued cautiously, “Why was he here?”  
“He teleported us here to confirm the intruder’s existence. How much did you hear?”  
Chara paused at the door, “Only that the Royal Guard will come to investigate and the selection will either be curated or I will be moved temporarily.”  
Alphys sighed, “So you missed about half of the conversation, then.”

Alphys leaned against the wall, “Um… I should… go make your breakfast. We can talk about the conversation then. Is… that okay?”  
Chara spoke calmly, “Okay.”  
Chara settled into their bed to wait for Alphys’s return. They yawned, still tired from the night before. They tried to think of the new situation but found their mind drifted too much to hold their thoughts together. Instead, they jumbled. Curiosity. Caution. Affirmation. These all mixed in their mind until they heard a knock on their door. Chara sat up with a start. Alphys sounded surprised on the other side, “Oh! Sorry. Were you trying to go back to sleep? I… I could come back later if you want.”  
Chara once more stood from their bed, “No. I am fine. I can sleep anytime. It is not as though I have much else to do.”

The tray slid was under, this time at an angle. The glass of water barely passed under the panel. Chara raised a brow at this. Usually, the tray was simply slid under on the floor. Chara sat down and saw the pile of dust as the panel closed. They frowned. She was trying to avoid the dust. Chara scooped up the tray and dug into their food. They heard Alphys slump against the wall next to the door. She began to speak, “He was really mad when I told him about the intruder…”  
Her voice perked up in a panic, “Oh! But not at you or me! A-At the situation, of course!”  
Chara rolled their eyes, “It sounds as though he is angry I was almost torn from his grasp.”  
Alphys mulled it over aloud, “Well… I mean… the situation is much more complicated than that. But… I mean…”  
She sighed, “I guess… when you get down to basics… you’re right.”  
Chara replied smugly, “Although, I would have been torn apart and by the sister or any other monsters the intruder intended to feed me to.”  
They mused dryly, “But, it is getting harder to say I would not have preferred that.”  
Horror dawned on Alphys’s face. She nearly gasped, “You’d rather have been _killed_?!”  
“It is either I am devoured all at once, or devoured slowly by monsterkind while I am simultaneously tortured. Be honest. Which would you prefer?”  
Alphys replied quietly, almost chastised, “Well… I wouldn’t want either to be honest…”  
Chara set down their tray. Their meal finished. They waited a moment for Alphys to continue. Silence. They gave a resigned sigh, “I know. Neither do I. But… at the very least…”  
Chara pouted and blushed behind the door. They grabbed hold of their locket and muttered out, “Talking with you eases the anguish… somewhat.”  
Alphys smiled. Her voice relieved, “That’s good to hear.”

Chara opened the unlocked panel, “I am done, do you need help grabbing the tray from this angle?”  
Alphys turned to see Chara peek under the door. They lied on their stomach with the tray in one hand, and the dishes and silverware barely contained in the other. She carefully reached down, “Yes. Thank you for the help!”  
Slowly but surely, Chara aided Alphys in collecting the tray and all that was left on it. Alphys sighed and stood with the tray in hand, “I wish I could stay longer, but I have to start with my part of the investigation.”  
Chara raised a brow, still visible under the panel, “What is he having you do?”  
Alphys quickly fished out her keycard, “He’s um… ordered me to recount the keycards. They allow monsters to use the elevator down here to the lower lab. The days after you were um… retrieved we-“  
Chara sharply cut in with a frown, “ _Kidnapped_.”  
Alphys returned the keycard to her pocket with a nervous smile, “R-right. Sorry.”  
Alphys continued normally, “After you were kidnapped, Dr. Gaster ordered all lab workers, well… anyone that had one for one reason or another, to turn in their keycards. I was the only exception… but I um… basically live down here anyway… but just in case. We had counted all keycards confiscated sometime before Serol began work on the soul scanning machine with his team. They’re the only ones allowed in the lower lab besides myself and Dr. Gaster.”  
Chara snarked, “So he doesn’t trust anyone within an entire floor of me.”  
Alphys shrugged, “Well… yeah! Basically!”  
Chara sighed, “Sounds just like-“  
Chara’s voice cut out. A thought sprang in Chara’s mind, “Wait."  
Alphys’s expression turned curious, “What is it?”  
The whispers returned to Chara’s mind. They questioned Alphys, “The first time I was kidnapped, Mother, Father, and Asriel seemed to rescue me without much issue until after we left the lab. Was I not taken down here?”  
Alphys shook her head, “No. You were. I think the Dreemurrs had a keycard of their own, too.”  
She continued nervously, “That one was confiscated when they were um… captured.”

Chara fell silent. Their expression downcast. They closed the panel. Alphys frowned in response. She sighed, “I’ll… be back later. Hopefully before dinner.”  
Chara responded neutrally, “If I am not moved before then.”  
Alphys nodded, “R-right. Um… see you later.”  
“See you later, Alphys.”  
Alphys left without another word.

———————————————————————————

Gaster’s eye sockets locked onto camera screens intensely. He studied the intruder’s journey throughout the lab via playback. His scowl deepened as he watched the intruder easily run deeper into the lower lab towards where Chara was kept. He grumbled. A quick mental note to speed up Chara’s new room as quickly as possible without sacrificing stability and safety. To the side of the room, he had the printer at the ready. He just had to find the perfect angle to get a clear picture. Anything to identify this monster clearly. After nearly ten minutes of playback, as he needed to carefully study multiple screens, he quickly paused the playback. His eyes focused on an image of the intruder, who stood tall and faced the camera with facial features clear. Perfect. Gaster couldn’t help but smirk as his hands furiously typed on the keyboard. Soon, the printer hummed to life. Five pages printed one by one. As the printer ceased its hums, Gaster carefully took the pages in hand. Five perfect copies of the image in question. This would work. Now, all he had to do was wait for Undyne for further questioning and to confiscate the missing keycard, if Alphys was correct.

Gaster turned back towards the screens. Another way to aid the investigation dawned on him easily. He could trace this intruder’s steps backward with the cameras. Most of the main paths in the Underground from Snowdin to sections of New Home had cameras set up. At least, until feral monsters or mischievous ones broke them. He smirked, he could easily make such brazen destruction a crime now. He began to type on the keyboard. One by one, the screens began to change from playback of inside the lab to playback of outside the lab and surrounding areas. A few more keystrokes before the screens began to rewind. Slowly but surely, the reversed playback showed the intruder came from one place: New Home. Gaster gave himself a satisfied smirk; that would do for the moment.

Gaster turned the screens back to live feeds in and directly around the lab. His hands finally left the keyboard and collected the pictures of the intruder. After he straightened the pictures, his eyes sharply darted back towards the screens. Something moved on them. Not unusual in of itself, but his gaze was still sharp from his quick research. He fully focused on the screens to see someone approach the lab. He relaxed at the sight of the monster; Undyne. His gaze turned serious. It was finally time for this investigation to truly begin.

He teleported out of the room to the front door. Undyne jumped back and readied a spear of magic. All within seconds. She relaxed at recognizing Gaster. She gasped, “Dr. Gaster!”  
She dismissed her magic before she stood in attention, “It was instinct! I-“  
Gaster raised a hand. Undyne silenced herself. An amused smile dawn on Gaster’s skull, “To see one of my Royal Guard ready for any potential danger, yet able to give a second to examine the situation, is a credit to your training.  
Undyne relaxed. She gave a proud smile, “Thanks!”  
Gaster held his hands behind his back, “Alphys reported that you have the intruder’s keycard.”  
Undyne quickly fished it out of her pocket, “Yeah. Here.”  
Gaster quickly took the keycard from Undyne and stowed it away in one of his coat pockets. He spoke with a firm tone, “Come with me. We need to discuss last night’s events.”

Undyne nodded. She went to step into the lab before Gaster touched her shoulder. In the instant, the two appeared in Gaster’s office just in front of the door. Undyne blinked in confusion, “Wait- What?! How the hell did we?…”  
Shock filled her voice and expression as Gaster walked behind his desk, “You can teleport?!”  
Gaster sat down behind his desk and affirmed, “Yes. I would appreciate that this knowledge does not spread further than needed.”  
Undyne’s expression deflated to befuddlement for a moment. She gave a resigned sigh as she sat down, “Alright. Sure. I’ll keep quiet.”  
Gaster gave a half smile, “Good.”

He placed the images of the intruder on the table, “Using the lab’s camera system, I was able to produce a clear picture of the intruder.”  
Undyne took a copy of the image and examined it calmly, “Yep. That’s him alright.”  
Gaster readied a paper and pen, “It is unlikely, but did this intruder introduce himself?”  
Undyne shook her head, “No. Not to me at least. Alphys had some interaction with him before she called… I think.”  
Gaster scribbled something with a nod, “Yes. I saw it on the cameras. I will ask her about it after she is finished recounting the keycards.”  
Undyne raised a brow, “Oh, you haven’t talked with her yet? Guess it is kinda early.”  
“Only a short conversation. Enough to alert me to this incident and for me to give her the order to recount the keycards.”  
Undyne’s expression normalized, “Oh. Ok.”

Gaster continued, “Unfortunately, the room we keep the human is in a hallway without cameras. What happened at the human’s room?”  
Undyne recounted, “Well, I showed up and he was ramming the door. I threw a spear past him and yelled at him to get away from the door.”  
She snickered, “He hissed at me! Like he was feral!”  
Gaster raised a ‘brow’ with an incredulous gaze. Undyne cleared her throat and gave a half smile, “Ok… maybe not a feral hiss. But he did hiss.”  
Gaster scribbled another note before Undyne continued calmly, “So, I threw another spear that he ducked under. He growled and tried to chuck insults, but I wasn’t having his bullshit. I readied another spear and told him to step away from the door and go to jail or die. Told him it was ordered to not hold back.”  
Gaster scribbled more notes as he spoke, “Exactly as I instructed. Go on.”  
Undyne sighed, “Yeah. He didn’t like that. He started shouting. I’m pretty sure he said ‘fuck your orders’ or something like that at some point. Ranted about the distribution of the substitute, too.”

Undyne’s eyes and fins perked up sharply. She stood from her seat and exclaimed, “Oh, yeah! He mentioned something about his sister not getting any substitute!”  
Gaster looked up from his notes, “Many monsters believe they deserve the substitute. I ordered the distribution of the substitute carefully based on whether someone was soon to turn feral or about to Fall Down. Extreme cases, to put it simply.”  
Undyne sat back down in her chair, “Yeah. That sounds about right.”

Gaster spoke as he scribbled, “That narrows down the identity of the intruder and his intentions somewhat. And, what next?”  
Undyne sputtered, “The guy was dumb. He didn’t seem to realize or care that the kid was the _source_ of the substitute. He then figured out we each got some of the substitute, but I said I gave up my supply.”  
Gaster blinked in confusion, “Did you?”  
Undyne hesitated. She sighed, “Yeah. I saw a kid Fall Down and gave them some until they became conscious again. Told them and their friend to do the same to anyone else with the couple that were left.”  
Gaster smiled, “Skilled and selfless.”  
He frowned, “Or perhaps foolish.”  
Undyne crossed her arms, “I’m not gonna attack the kid. Hell, I don’t even know when I’ll be near the kid after all this is over.”  
Gaster resumed his note taking, “Hopefully, you won’t have to. Continue.”

“He didn’t believe me. He said I was lying. That you were lying and not helping anyone.”  
Gaster rolled his eye sockets and replied dryly, “Just because one particular monster doesn’t receive substitute doesn’t mean I am not helping.”  
“He attacked the door again, so I threw a spear at him. It hit. So… I threw some more and killed him.”  
“As you should have. He continued to attack the human after you said he would die if he did so. You did as you were ordered.”  
“Yeah. Oh. And I interviewed the kid afterwards.”

Fear and anger appeared on Gaster’s skull for a split second before a serious gaze overtook it, “Through the door?”  
Undyne answered carefully, “I didn’t touch the kid. Alphys opened the door and hugged them. I found the keycard while I gave her a moment to calm the kid down.”  
“That doesn’t answer my question.”  
“I’m getting there, just a sec.” Undyne noticed a glare from Gaster before she continued, “I found the keycard and asked Alphys about it. She showed me hers. She then said something about a glass of water for the kid. I had to interview the kid anyway, so I let her go get it. Y’know, questioning witnesses alone and stuff.”  
Gaster groaned, “Were it any other monster, I would have to punish Alphys for such flagrant disregard of the human’s safety.”  
“I think it’s cuz I was here before, she probably figured I wouldn’t lay a finger on the kid. And I didn’t. The kid sat on their bed and told me their side of the story.”  
She snickered, “The intruder tried to pull the kid under the door, but the kid bit him to escape.”  
Disbelief scrawled on Gaster’s skull before he gave a resigned, “That… somehow does not surprise me.”  
Undyne continued with a smile, “After that the intruder pretty much tried to talk the kid back to the door. When that didn’t work, he tried to ram it. That’s pretty much when I got there with Alphys.”

Gaster finished his notes silently. He set down his pen next to the paper now filled with notes. He gave Undyne a neutral glance, “That will do for your side of the story, and you saved me the trouble of getting the human’s side of the story. All I will need is Alphys’s.”  
Undyne stood from her seat, “So, we’re good?”  
Gaster motioned to the pictures of the intruder, “Just one last task for you. I want you to locate the family of our intruder and question them. I want to be sure this is one monster working alone, and not a group that needs to be taught a lesson.”  
Undyne gave a nervous look, “Sooo… just question them, right? Don’t need to detain them or anything?”  
Gaster shook his head lightly, “Not unless it is clear that any member of the family was working with him to take the human. Take special care with this ‘sister’ of his. She could be a coconspirator, or simply motivation. With what you have displayed so far, I trust you will make the correct action.”  
Undyne relaxed slightly. She gave a proud nod. She lightly bowed towards Gaster and spoke, “I will, sir.”

Gaster walked around the desk and touched her shoulder once again. In an instant, the two reappeared in front of the entrance to the lab. Undyne sighed, “Thank goodness, that lower lab is a maze…”  
Gaster ignored the comment and spoke, “I’d suggest starting your search in New Home.”  
Undyne raised a brow, “Any particular reason why?”  
Gaster gave a smug smirk, “Because that is where most of the population resides.”  
Undyne gave a surprised look before it evened, “Right. Sorry. Okay. I’ll report back after I interview them.”  
“I’d expect nothing less.” Gaster teleported away without another word.

An expert from the journal of Dr. W.D Gaster

_A frustrating event happened last night while I slept; the human was nearly taken. Not an escape attempt, but an attempt to steal. Undyne from the Royal Guard quickly dealt with the intruder as ordered and found a keycard in the intruder’s dust. This is extremely troubling. It could mean that all cards weren’t confiscated, or that there is a traitor in my midst. Alphys is not a suspect; at least not until all keycards are accounted for. She produced hers and Undyne returned the intruder’s. This shouldn’t have happened in the first place. I will have to place a guard either at the elevator to the lower lab or one at each entrance to the lab itself. I will uncover all who are conspirators in this plot by day’s end. If the intruder is not alone in this plot, his coconspirators will be dealt with in the same fashion._


	20. Intentions

Undyne walked the stone streets of New Home with the intruder’s picture in hand. She was thankful for the newfound hustle and bustle of the city. A few monsters browsed the stores. A handful of children chased one another with glee. Life had begun to return to monsterkind. A far cry from a few weeks earlier. Her expression turned downcast as she remembered these same streets when she spent a night over at Sans and Papyrus’s old place. The streets were almost silent then. Miserable shop keepers tried to sell their trinkets and wares to disinterested or energy deficient monsters. No children laughed or played. Undyne’s mind returned to the present. A subtle smile returned to her face. It wasn’t perfect, but it was an improvement.

Undyne approached one of the monsters with the intruder’s picture, “Scuse me.”  
The monster perked up before they replied calmly, “Ah, yes. What can I do for you miss guardsman?”  
Undyne lifted the picture, “Do you know this monster?”  
The monster carefully examined the picture for a moment. They frowned and shook their head, “Sorry. Not them in particular.”  
Undyne’s fins drooped as gave a resigned sigh, “Well… thanks for your time.”  
Undyne turned to leave. The monster perked up, “W-Wait! I think I might know somehow who could be related!”  
Undyne’s fins perked up immediately. She turned back towards the monster. She asked with a large smile, “Awesome! Do you know where that monster lives?”  
The monster pointed down the street, “I think… I few blocks that way. Then I think you turn right and go down two more blocks? Somewhere in that area, I think.”  
Undyne shrugged, “Well, that’s better than what I’ve been getting so far. Thanks!”

The monster silently waved goodbye to Undyne as she continued onward. She followed the monster’s directions. The streets had turned from shops to towers of homes akin to apartment buildings. Fewer monsters walked these streets, but what little were out and about still seemed content. She approached monsters one by one with the same questions. After three more monsters, she had her answer; the intruder’s home. Undyne climbed stairs in a large apartment building deep within New Home. She approached the door to one apartment. She paused. A grimace. Worrying thoughts burrowed into her mind. What if this family _was_ in on the attempt? Undyne shook those thoughts away. No. They’d have gone with him to help in kidnapping the kid. She ignored any of those thoughts and took a deep breath to steel herself. She had to remain focused.  
Undyne knocked on the door thrice. A feminine voice perked up, “Oh! Just a moment!”  
She heard a masculine voice mutter, “Who the fuck could that be?”  
The feminine voice shushed, “Don’t be rude, Ruindi.”

The lock clicked before the door slowly swung open. Undyne took in the sight of a svelte, lizard-like monster. Not a single hair on her. Her violet scales glistened in the candlelight of the apartment, though many were now far past their luster. Her long tail dragged on the floor. She dressed in a thick peach robe. This monster crooked her head in confusion for a second as she answered the door. It only took a second for her always open eyes to widen in recognition of Undyne’s armor. She stood in attention, “Oh! Hello there!”  
She curled down submissively, “What um… what can I do for you, miss guardsman?”  
Before Undyne could speak, papers rustled in the background. The masculine voice spoke, “What the fuck is the Royal Guard doing here?!”  
Undyne’s gaze shifted to deeper into the apartment. She saw a stouter monster approach. His face was rounded like his mother. His scaled skin was a deep forest green with hints of violet. His tail was stubby but still scaled. Small tufts of purple hair protruded from under the scales. Long claws protruded from his fingers, but the ones on his toes were trimmed carefully.

Undyne’s gaze returned to the female monster. She cleared her throat and spoke calmly, “I um… I’m sorry to disturb-“  
The female monster began aghast, “No! Never any trouble for someone of the Royal Guard to visit!”  
Ruindi scoffed, “Only if we’re not in trouble.”  
The female monster shot a glare at her son before she turned back to Undyne, “Sorry about him, he’s cranky when he’s hungry and… well… you get the idea. I’m Rita and this is one of my sons, Ruindi. What can I do for you, miss guardsmen?”  
Undyne held up the intruder’s picture, “Does this monster live here?”  
Rita examined the picture for a moment before she gave a confused look, “Yes. That’s my younger son, Kurt. Did you need to speak with him?”  
She turned to Ruindi, “Ruindi, could you go get your brother?”  
Ruindi rolled his eyes, “He never came back last night.”  
Rita’s eyes widened. She sputtered, “What?!”  
Undyne grimaced, “Yeah. That’s why I’m here. Before I really get into it, I need to tell you that he’s dead.”

Both Ruindi and his mother paled. Their jaws dropped slightly. The two were silent for a moment. Rita spoke quietly in her shock, “D-dead?”  
Tears poured from her widened, shocked eyes. She dropped to the ground in quiet sobs. Thanks to his mother’s sobs, Ruindi’s shocked face quickly boiled to anger. He approached the doorway with a growl, “What the hell happened to him?! He was fine last night so he couldn’t have fallen down that quickly! Did someone kill him?!”  
Undyne stood firm, but spoke in a sympathetic tone, “Yeah. I did.”  
Ruindi quickly got in Undyne’s face and flashed his fangs. Undyne looked down at him calmly and did not move. He spoke in a low, menacing tone, “You better have a good explanation for that, you bitch!”  
Rita grabbed her son’s leg, “Stop!”  
Undyne and Ruindi looked down at Rita. She composed herself somewhat as she spoke, “She… she must have only done it because it was her job. Let her explain herself.”  
Ruindi paused as he looked down at his mother. He shot a glare at Undyne for a moment. He lifted his arm, winding a punch. His arm limped to his side with a sigh, “Fuck this.”  
Undyne frowned before he took a few steps back in a huff. He crossed his arms and glared daggers at Undyne silently. Undyne leaned down. She extended a hand to Rita. Rita’s expression contorted. Mixed between distrust, submissiveness, and anguish. She sniffled, “I… I can’t take your hand until I hear an explanation.”  
Undyne stood tall once more. She cleared her throat and spoke gently, “Last night… I was called into Dr. Gaster’s lab by the human’s caretaker, Alphys. She said someone had broken in and was trying to track down the kid. I was able to get there… as he was trying to bash down the kid’s door.”  
Rita’s expression solidified into horror, “Kurt… he tried to steal the human?!”  
Rita stood. She sputtered, “B-But why? I don’t understand… but…”  
She held her head, “Why…”  
Ruindi relaxed slightly. He gave a look of shock and disbelief, “Shit, he was serious?”  
Undyne shot a serious glance at Ruindi. She cursed silently as she dreaded the answer to her next question. She asked in a serious tone, “You know something about this attempt?”  
Rita’s mouth dropped. Her gaze flitted between Ruindi and Undyne. Ruindi’s head dipped. He rubbed his neck as he confessed, “Before he left last night, we were taking care of our little sister, Susie.”

Undyne’s fins twitched at the mention of the sister. Gaster’s orders echoed in the back of her mind. She focused and said nothing. Ruindi continued unabated, “She’s… not in great shape. But she can still walk and stuff, it just takes a lot out of her, so she sleeps a lot.”  
Undyne’s mind drifted for a moment. She frowned, “I think I understand. I gotta friend who's in a similar condition. He crumples back down if he stands up too fast.”  
Ruindi gave a confused expression, “Yeah… Exactly like that…”

Rita interjected, “Now wait just a minute! You walk in here and say that my son tried to do this… admittedly horrible thing and you killed him for it! I want proof of this accusation!”  
Undyne held up the picture, “This picture was taken inside Dr. Gaster’s lab through the cameras he has in there and the area surrounding the lab. It was a restricted area, too.”  
Rita leaned against the doorframe. Disbelief and shock returned to her face. Tears began to well. Her fists shook fiercely. Undyne saw but did nothing. All the while, Ruindi looked at the picture and said nothing. He continued to stew in his anger at Undyne. Undyne sighed, she spoke despondently, “Look. This is a bad situation. And I probably made it worse by being the one sent out to question you two.”  
Ruindi grumbled, “Damn right.”  
Undyne continued, “You’re right to be mad, fuck, I’d be mad if someone who killed someone close to me showed up on my doorstep. I’ll just… leave and send someone else to question you-“  
Rita quickly grabbed Undyne’s arm. Undyne looked back, frozen. She _really_ didn’t want to hurt Rita, but she didn’t know what Rita would do. Rita glared at Undyne and spoke with venom, “You’re not going anywhere until you explain yourself.”  
Undyne groaned, “I _did_ explain myself! Dr. Gaster ordered the Royal Guard to immediately arrest anyone who got close to the human without permission. If they resisted or continued, we _have_ to kill them! Without that kid, we’re all dead.”  
Rita’s expression deflated. She still had a firm grip on Undyne’s arm. Rita sighed as her expression became somber, “So that’s how it is…”  
Undyne turned back to Rita and spoke gently, “I don’t expect you to forgive me. I’ll probably carry this the rest of my life. You need to be interviewed to make sure you’re not a part of this.”  
Undyne turned and tried to move her arm out of Rita’s grip, “You don’t want to deal with me, understandably. I’ll tell Dr. Gaster to send someone else.”  
Ruindi growled, “Good. Leave. It’ll be better to hunt you down.”

Rita whipped back and glared at Ruindi, “You. Shut up.”  
Ruindi went pale. He looked away and stood stiffly, nervously. Rita looked back at Undyne, “If you need questions answered, we’ll answer them now and end this here.”  
Ruindi turned back around and blinked, “Wait, but she’s-“  
Rita glared at her son again, “She may be his killer, but she’s still a Royal Guard. If we answer her questions, we don’t have to see her again.”  
Rita let go of Undyne’s arm. She widened the door and stepped aside. She motioned for Undyne to come inside, “Let’s get this over with.”  
Undyne blinked. She was unsure of what to do. The only thing she _could_ do was walk in the door and continue the conversation.

Undyne walked into the room and noticed two couches facing each other, with a rug and coffee table in between them. On the coffee table was a few choice knick knacks and two books, each with a bookmark in them. One of the walls was filled with pictures, mostly paintings, while another wall was taken over by a large, filled bookshelf. Undyne sat in the corner of the nearest couch. Rita sat next to her while Ruindi sat across from her. Ruindi continued to glare daggers at Undyne, his claws flexed ever so slightly. Undyne cleared her throat, “Alright. So… how did Kurt first react to the distribution of the substitute?”  
Rita glared at Undyne, but answered in a civil tone, “He was excited at first. He’d watch as a couple neighbors came home with theirs in hand. I never received any notice that we’d receive any, and I told him after the first couple of days. He left and came back later that day. He was not happy.”  
Undyne pressed slightly, “As in?…”  
Ruindi butted in, “He was pissed.”  
Rita sighed, “Yes. He slammed his door shut and didn’t come out for hours. When he did, he still promised Susie she’d get better soon. He’s… been out a lot ever since and he didn’t talk about it. I just assumed he was with some friends, or something. I didn’t ask because he’d leave before I woke up and come back late. Until yesterday, that is. He stayed home all day until early evening.”  
Undyne nodded, “Did he bring anything home with him at all?”  
Rita shook her head, “Not that I saw.”  
Ruindi shook his head, “Didn’t see anything either.”  
Undyne muttered under her breath, “When did he get the keycard, then?”

Undyne shook off the question and continued, “Did he say anything when he left?”  
Ruindi shrugged, “Just that’d he be back late.”  
Rita cradled her head in her hands, “If he came back with the human… I honestly don’t know what I would have done.”Undyne shrugged, “I honestly don’t need to know that. But I _do_ need to know about his friends. Who and where they are.”  
Rita frowned, “I’m afraid I don’t know.”  
Ruindi nodded, “Yeah. All his friends I know about are dust. Either before we got trapped down here or after.”  
Undyne muttered a “Damnit.” before she went to ask another question. 

Before she could, she heard one of the doors creak open. All three monsters looked towards it to see a younger monster exit a room. The first thing Undyne noticed was the messy, shoulder length, dark brown hair of this monster. It flowed around the shoulders and some bangs completely blocked the eyes from view. The skin was a light shade of violet and the skin appeared rough. This monster was dressed in a simple white shirt and comfortable blue slacks. Nestled under the monster’s armpit was a set of makeshift crutches.  
Rita perked up immediately. She flashed a genuine smile at Susie, “Oh! Susie! I’m sorry, did we wake you?”  
Undyne frowned. This smaller monster, a young teenager, was the aforementioned sister. Now was the time she needed to tread this conversation cautiously. Susie grumbled, “Sorta. The knock on the door woke me up.”  
Undyne gave a half smile, “Sorry about that, kid. I-“  
Susie shot a glare at Undyne, “I’m not a kid.”  
Undyne was surprised at Susie’s quick jab, but paid it no mind, “Right. Sorry. It’s Susie, right? I’m Undyne and I’m here to ask you and your family some questions.”  
Rita stood, “Here. Let’s get you to the couch. Do you need help today?”  
Susie began to move forward on her crutches, “I’m fine.”

Rita quickly sat back down. The three monsters relaxed in silence as this new addition to the conversation made her way to one of the couches. She settled down next to Ruindi, her crutches to the side of the couch. Ruindi attempted to pull Susie close to him, but Susie swatted his hand away silently. Rita and Ruindi went back to glaring at Undyne. Undyne stayed quiet as well, unsure of how to begin. Susie began after she settled, “I heard only a little. You’re asking about Kurt, right? What happened.”  
Rita gave a pained expression. She turned to Undyne with a small glare, “I’ll tell her.”  
Undyne nodded with a sympathetic gaze. She leaned back in her seat and waited. Rita’s expression softened. She spoke to Susie with hesitation, “Susie… Kurt… he did something very bad last night and-“  
Susie crossed her arms and interrupted, “What did he do? Mom, just tell it to me straight. I’m not a little kid anymore.”  
Rita sighed and smiled sorrowfully, “No. You aren’t a kid. Okay. Kurt… he tried to take the human last night… and he’s dead.”  
For a moment, Susie’s face was blank as she absorbed the information. She cupped her face in her hands, “That… fucking idiot.”  
Undyne waited for tears, but no sobs came. Susie just covered her face and sat there quietly. After a few moments, Undyne spoke softly, “I know this is a bad situation, but I’m here to prevent it from getting worse. I just need to ask you and your family some questions. Just some honest answers from you three and you probably won’t see me here again.”  
Ruindi grumbled, “Better be the truth.”  
Susie sighed deeply. She removed her hands. No tear stains to be seen. Her expression was hard to read, aided by her hidden eyes, but she frowned deeply. Susie spoke with a resigned tone, “Alright. I’ll answer your questions, too.”

Undyne gave a small smile, “Thanks. I’ll start with the important one; did you know anything about Kurt’s plan?”  
Susie crossed her arms, “He just kept saying that I’ll get better. It got annoying, but he’s that kind of monster. Before he left last night he said I’d be better today, and that he swore it this time. I just kinda laughed it off.”  
“So, he didn’t even hint that he was going to take the human to you?”  
Susie shook her head, “Nah.”  
Ruindi shrugged, “He spoke to me about it, but again, I thought he was joking since he didn’t bring it up again.”  
Undyne continued, “Did you see him bring anything home? Even small things.”  
Susie shook her head, “Nope. He’d spend a lot of time with me, which was kinda nice at first, but he became suffocating. I’m glad he went out every day the past week.”  
Undyne muttered, “That lines up to when the distribution ended… Do you know why he went out?”  
“No. He didn’t tell me. I dunno what he did or if he met anyone. I thought his last friend died over a month ago.”  
Undyne raised a brow curiously, “Huh? Who?”  
Ruindi muttered, “An aaron named Chase. He invited Kurt to go hunting for the human when it was just a rumor.”  
Rita frowned, “But Susie was really sick that day. He refused so he could help take care of her and make her crutches.”  
Ruindi continued, “But Chase never came back. No one’s sure what happened to him.”  
Undyne frowned, “Yeah, I wasn’t involved in those investigations… but I know nothing turned up. Anyway. Is there anyone that can vouch for you all being here yesterday? Just to be safe.”  
Rita perked up, “Yes! Our next door neighbor! I always have a nice chat with her every day around noon. Makes the day go by quicker. She can vouch for us.”  
Undyne nodded, “I’ll talk to her briefly after this. Is there anything else you all can think of to tell me to help this investigation?”

Rita and Ruindi froze. Each of them pondered in silence. Susie spoke up, “No. But I got a question. How’d he die?”  
Undyne’s fins drooped. She was prepared for Susie to treat her the same way as her family had. She spoke simply, “I uh… I killed him. He was trying to bust down the human’s door and wouldn’t stand down. Dr. Gaster expressly gave the Royal Guard orders to arrest anyone who got near the kid without permission, and to kill if they continued or resisted arrest.”  
Susie frowned as she shifted in her seat, “Whoa. First of all, fuck you for killing him.”  
Rita smirked, “That’s my girl!”  
Undyne interjected, “You’re right to be mad at me for killing him. I know I can’t make up for it.”  
Undyne stood. She walked over in front of Susie and leaned down. She pointed at her own cheek, “So if ya wanna hit me, here’s a free target for ya!”  
Susie glared at Undyne and wasted no time. The second Undyne finished speaking, Susie threw a punch straight into Undyne’s nose. Undyne was thrown off balance and landed on the coffee table, surprise in her gaze. Rita stood up and shouted with joy, “Good job, Susie!”  
Susie guffawed, “Man! I’m never gonna get that chance again! She _wanted_ me to hit her!”  
Ruindi cracked his knuckles, “Keep her down, I want a good kick.”

Undyne began to laugh raucously. The family went still as Undyne guffawed and slowly stood. She had a huge, wide grin on her face after she collected herself. She spoke in a proud voice, “Man! For someone with little energy, you got a pretty decent punch!”  
The family looked at Undyne with surprise. Undyne looked down at Susie, “With some time and training, you’d make one heck of a Royal Guard!”  
Susie just stared with a blank expression on her face, “Huh?”  
Undyne stood tall, “Tell you what; once you get better, and maybe a little older, you come join the Royal Guard! Hell, I’ll even train you for the tests myself!”  
Rita blinked in disbelief, “Do you… really think she’s that good?!”  
Undyne grinned at Rita, “She’s got some potential, but I can’t say for sure until she gets better and has more energy.”  
Susie crossed her arms and turned her head away from Undyne, “Like I’d want to be in the Royal Guard.”  
Undyne’s smile defended slightly, “Alright, guess you’re cool with turning down the chance to beat up the one who killed your brother.”  
Susie turned her head back. She turned quiet as the gears turned in her head. Ruindi leaned in and whispered, “Do it, or I will.”  
She grunted and pushed Ruindi away. Undyne shrugged, “Well, you don’t have to accept it now. You got years to train for it.”

Undyne began to stretch, “Besides, I gotta get going. To me, it’s obvious you three weren’t involved in this other than as a motivation.”  
Rita rolled her eyes, “Good. Let the door hit you on your way out.”  
Ruindi stood and stretched, “So, when are we gonna get his dust back?”  
Undyne began to approach the door, “Should be soon. I’ll make sure his dust gets to you one way or the other.”  
Susie scoffed, “It’s the least you can do.”  
Undyne opened the door. She stopped as she heard Susie’s comment. She turned and smirked, “And the least you can do is get better once you do get some of the substitute.”  
Susie grumbled as Undyne left. Rita and Ruindi relaxed. Tears resumed in Rita’s eyes. Ruindi clenched his teeth and stewed in silence. Susie just sat there, dumbfounded at what just occurred.

———————————————————————————

A knock echoed on the door. Gaster turned away from the cameras and papers. He watched silently as Alphys entered the room. Gaster glared slightly at Alphys, “The results?”  
Alphys spoke calmly, “All key cards are accounted for. The only ones we don’t have in storage are mine and the six from Serol and his team.”  
Gaster smirked. He pulled out his cell phone, “Then we have a lead. We will call in Serol’s team immediately for further questioning.”  
He paused before he finished dialing a phone number. His neutral gaze fell upon Alphys once more, “Don’t let any of them in. Let them use their key cards to enter. If one of theirs is missing, we have our suspect.”

Alphys frowned, “Okay. Um… so, when is someone coming to inspect the crime scene and collect the dust?”  
“A few members of the Royal Guard should be on their way shortly. Undyne is currently investigating the family of the intruder and will not be with them.”  
Alphys hesitated. She curled down slightly and asked cautiously, “What’s going to happen to Chara? Are they going to be moved or…”  
Gaster pondered, “I have thought of a few possibilities. I would rather not keep watch over the human as I will be interviewing Serol’s team myself. Leaving it there, despite my curation, is a risk I’d rather not take.”  
He sighed deeply, “I suppose I could use the gas to render it unconscious, but that wouldn’t be preferable if the human acts out violently in the future…”

Gaster’s words turned to mumbles as he pondered the situation, now pressed for a decision. Alphys stood for a moment to await such a decision. At that moment, a thought of her own sprung to mind. Her eyes widened in realization. A smile briefly grew on her face. What a wonderful idea! She regained her calm but submissive frown. She knew this one was a toss-up. She perked up, “Um… sir?”  
Gaster’s mumbles halted. His gaze shifted back to Alphys, “Yes?”  
Alphys once more spoke cautiously, “What if… I watch Chara? I-I could take them to my room and lock the door. A-and if something happens, I can call you right away!”  
Gaster’s eye sockets narrowed. A hand went to his chin. He mulled the idea over silently. Alphys’s anxiety slowly grew. Her expression became more nervous. She fiddled with her claws. She silently tried to think of anything else that could convince him. Gaster broke the silence with a firm tone, “If the human leaves your room, or you take it anywhere else, I’ll know.”  
Gaster turned back to the screens. His fingers dashed across the keyboard. A few of the screens changed to hallway shots. Alphys looked at the screen curiously before her eyes set onto one hallway. It was like the others, but she saw a room with a nameplate in the middle distance of the camera. _Her nameplate_. Gaster turned back towards Alphys with a dark smile, “Do I make myself clear?”  
Alphys nodded slowly, “C-Crystal clear, sir. I’ll… go take Chara over right away.”  
Alphys quickly flew out of the room. Gaster let out a small, amused chuckle as he turned back to his papers.


	21. Gathering

Chara awoke to a knock on their door. They groaned and grumbled, it wasn’t anywhere near the evening. Afternoon at most. They grumbled out, “Alphys? Is that you?”  
Alphys replied happily, “Yep! I’ve got some good news! Well… partially.”  
Chara stood from their bed. They spoke cautiously, “…Partially?”  
Alphys slowly slid the latch lock open. Chara looked down curiously at the panel, but it did not open. Instead, the door lock clicked open. Chara froze for a moment, fear and uncertainty flashed. The ringing returned briefly. The door cracked open to reveal Alphys’s smiling face. She was to the side of the door, away from the pile of dust. She spoke kindly, “I’m taking you out of your room for a bit!”  
The ringing subsided as Chara relaxed. They raised a brow curiously, “For the investigation?”  
Alphys nodded as she opened the door wider, “Yeah! I um… I proposed the idea that I’d watch you while the Royal Guard examined and cleaned up here!”  
Chara, still with a cautious gaze, approached the door, “And… he _approved_?”  
Alphys gave a nervous smile, “Yeah… but… we have to go to my room, and we can’t leave there until he says so.”  
Alphys began to fiddle with her claws. Chara sighed heavily. They resigned, “Well, it is better than some other options I thought he would concoct.”  
Chara stepped through the open door. They paused at the pile of dust. Alphys offered a hand to Chara with a smile. Chara smiled softly as they took the hand. With her assistance, Chara gracefully stepped over the dust pile. The two released their grasp before they moved on.

Alphys led Chara down hallway after hallway. A different path than Chara knew. Chara noticed cameras as they turned some corners. They locked their sight on each one. After a few, Chara perked up, “Were these cameras always here?”  
Alphys didn’t look back at Chara, but replied, “I don’t think any new cameras have been set up in the lab lately.”  
Alphys frowned as she and Chara looked at the next camera as they passed, “He’s… watching us through them, right now.”  
Chara’s face contorted with disgust, “He is still keeping a close watch despite the investigation?!”  
“He’s waiting for the Royal Guard. And for Serol’s team to arrive. They have the only keycards that aren’t in storage other than mine. So… our intruder got it from one of them.”  
Chara looked up at the closest camera with a glare, “So he is passing his time by ensuring I go where you said I would.”  
Alphys nodded. She looked at Chara solemnly, “He was _really_ strict with me about it.”

A smile budded on her face, “But thankfully, once we’re in my room, we won’t have to deal with cameras! We can talk and relax in peace!”  
Chara rolled their eyes, “While we are imprisoned in your room for a change.”  
Alphys let the last comment be as stopped in front of a room. She beamed and exclaimed, “And here we are!”  
Chara stopped. They turned towards the door to immediately see the nameplate. Chara raised a brow, “You don’t have a last name?”  
Alphys opened the door and shook her head, “No. It’s not common for monsters to have last names. It was usually leaders and other important monsters who had last names.”  
Alphys stepped into the room. She beckoned Chara with a repeated downward movement of her hand, “Come in! I have a lot of stuff to show you!”

Chara stepped into the room as Alphys turned on the lights. Chara paused as they took in the sight of Alphys’s room. The room was bigger than their own and more densely decorated. The bed was the same as Chara’s but a few water damaged plushes sat at the end of the bed. A small bedside table held a lamp and a few framed pictures. A metal canister sat at the edge of the table. A bookshelf hugged the back wall with many books, VHS tapes, and an assortment of discs. All cases and books in varying condition. Against the wall opposite the bed was a wide dresser with a large square tv on one side of the dresser. A few DVD cases were to the side of the tv, as well as an attached DVD/VHS player. Next to the door was a work desk strewn with books, papers, pens, and pencils in seemingly disorganized heaps. It was easily the most disorganized looking area of the room, despite some things being strewn about the floor.

Alphys blushed in embarrassment, “Sorry about the mess.”  
Chara heard the door close behind them as they spoke, “It is alright. I have seen worse.”  
Alphys pulled the chair from her desk towards her bed, “Here! Sit! I’ve got a lot of movies, books, and tv shows we can watch!”  
Her eyes lit up as she gasped, “I could show you my favorite tv show ever!”  
Chara raised a brow as they sat down in the chair they were offered. Alphys scurried to the tv. She scooped up one of the DVDs next to it and presented them proudly. The cover was warped with a large corner of the art discolored. Most of the cover showed a human girl with pink cat ears and a tail. She had bright green eyes and pink hair. She wore a frilly maid-like outfit. Her hair, necklace, and matching pink boots were all adorned with large gold-painted bells. Across the bottom of the DVD were words in pinkie lettering, “Mew Mew Kissy Cutie! Volume 1”. Chara stifled a laugh before they belted out a loud laugh of disbelief. They exclaimed, “What is _that_?”  
Alphys pouted, “C’mon! It’s really good! Just give it three episodes! An hour an a half!”  
Chara crossed their arms and raised their brow, “By then, I could be whisked away, back to my cell.”  
Alphys opened her mouth to protest. Not one sound escaped before her expression deflated. She sighed, “You’re right. We don’t know how long we have here. I just… I thought I could show you all the things I enjoy while I had the chance. So we’d have more things to talk about.”  
Chara’s expression deflated as well. They rested their chin on their hands. They gave a soft smile, “Alright. I’ll give an episode a chance.”  
Alphys’s expression grew to an unbridled glee, “I promise you won’t regret it!”

Alphys quickly switched the discs in the DVD player, putting the disc she was using in the Mew Mew Kissy Cutie Volume 1 case. She turned on the tv, where it began to hum slightly. She grabbed a remote on top of the DVD/VHS player. She turned and walked to the bed where she sat comfortably. Chara looked over at Alphys as she began to access the DVD's menu. Chara was able to see all the items on Alphys’s bedside table. They frowned as they noticed the metal canister. Chara spoke curiously, “Alphys?”  
Alphys looked over at Chara, “Hmm? What’s wrong?”  
Chara pointed at the canister with an even expression, “Is that… the substitute?”  
Alphys quickly muted the tv. She placed the remote beside her with a frown. She gently grabbed the canister and held it close to her. She nodded, “Yeah. It is. I’ve already taken my dose today.”  
Chara held out their arm, “May I see it?”  
Alphys raised a brow. She extended the canister towards Chara without a word. Chara held the canister with two hands for a brief moment. They twisted the canister open to see a number of red pills within. They held one. Soft to the touch. Smaller than the one they remembered Gaster had shown to them and Asriel. Made with their blood all the same. It even had a faint scent of blood. Chara lightly smirked, “So this small pill is meant to stop monsterkind’s extinction.”  
Alphys shrugged and stammered, “Well… I mean… sort of? It’s only a temporary solution until the barrier is shattered.”  
Chara mused, “It is smaller than I remember.”  
Alphys blinked, “You saw it before?”  
Chara returned the pill to the canister, “He showed Asriel and I the prototype. Used from blood stolen from me my a moldbygg.”

“Oh… I didn’t know that. Can I ask what happened?”  
Chara nodded. They closed the canister. The whispers returned to them as they spoke, “Asriel and I went to explore Waterfall. Mother came along in an attempt to protect us. We were in the grasses area, and a moldbygg was hiding, flattened in the grasses. While Mother passed over it with no reaction, it reacted to me and instantly swallowed me whole.”  
Alphys twiddled her thumbs, “Is… that where you got those weird scab-like scars?”  
Chara instinctually went to cover one such scar on their arm, “Yes.”  
Chara held the canister out to Alphys, “Needless to say, Mother and Asriel saved me. Asriel was brave enough to resuscitate me, but he tasted my blood because of it.”  
Alphys nearly dropped the canister. Her eyes widened in shock. Her voice grew lower, more serious, “Asriel tasted your blood?! Wh-what happened to him?!”  
Chara continued calmly, “He slowly began to lose more and more energy. I believe his instincts almost caused him to attack me once, but he was quick to snap out of it.”

Alphys placed the canister back onto the bedside table. Her voice quieted and became more somber, “That makes sense. It’d be the first time he’d tasted blood after surviving off snails. His body would instantly feel the soul energy in your blood.”  
Chara paused. They raised a brow, “Soul… energy… in my blood?”  
Alphys folded her hands on her lap, “Well, we can’t eat any other animals or any plants. Some very small varieties can give us only a little nutrition at best, but we have to eat humans at some point. Did the Dreemurrs tell you why that is?”  
Chara scratched their head, “No. Mother, Father, and Asriel all appeared to subsist off snails well. Until Asriel tasted my blood.”  
Alphys pointed at her chest, “It’s because of the soul. Human souls naturally hold a lot of magic inside them. It leeches into every part of a human from the moment the soul arrives well before birth. And since monsters are mostly made of magic, we survive off of the magic of the human soul.”

Chara rested their arms and chin on the chair’s back. They gave a skeptical glance, “If our souls hold as much magic as you say, why is it that humans cannot _perform_ magic?”  
Alphys blinked in confusion, “But… they can. That’s how they put up the barrier around Mount Ebbot. I suspected you can’t use magic, but no human can?”  
Chara shook their head, “Not that isn’t simple sleight of hand or perception tricks. Humans using magic is nothing but a legend.”  
Alphys quieted in thought for a moment. A shocked expression budded on her face, “Maybe…”  
She looked towards Chara curiously, “Did stories of Mount Ebbot include the humans who made the barrier? What happened to them?”  
“The legend goes that seven magicians gave their lives to seal away monsterkind within Mount Ebbot.”  
Alphys sighed, “I get the feeling that those could have been humankind’s last magicians.”  
A shiver ran down Chara’s spine, “If they failed…”  
Alphys grimaced, “We’d be living in a very different world. Yeah.”

The two paused as the realization sunk in. The silence became awkward. Nerve-wracking. Alphys soon cleared her throat and smiled, “Um, so… did you still want to watch an episode of Mew Mew Kissy Cutie? It’s lighthearted and… probably just what we need right now.”  
Chara relaxed in their chair with a sigh. They faced forward and slumped against the seat back. They smiled, “Sure. Why not?”  
Alphys gave a small smile before she pressed play.

——————————————————————————————

Gaster returned to the screens. After what felt like days, a team of the Royal Guard arrived to inspect and clean up the crime scene. All he had to wait for now was Serol’s team. He turned back to the screens. Someone was already in the upper lab. Serol. Gaster watched as Serol dug into a small messenger bag off his shoulder. He pulled out a keycard and swiped it at the elevator access. Gaster mentally noted that action. He watched as the elevator opened and Serol walked into the lower lab. Gaster gathered his notes; he had an interview to conduct.

Gaster teleported around the corner of the hallway to the elevator. He rounded the corner to see Serol dig in his messenger bag. He pulled out a cell phone. Serol began to dial a number but paused. He was quick to notice Gaster approach. He lowered his neck and head, “Greetingsssir. You assked to sspeak with me and my team?”  
He began to dig into his bag once more, “We have finalized the planss for the next iteration of the ssoul sscanning apparatuss for your approval!”  
Gaster raised his hand, “There will be time for that later. I summoned you and your team for a much more pressing matter.”  
Serol perked up. He allowed his bag to be slack at his side, “More pressssing? Did ssomething happen?”  
Gaster motioned for him to follow, “We’ll talk on the way to my office.”  
Serol nodded as the two began to walk, “The resst of the team should be here ssoon. Should I tell them to join uss?”  
Gaster lightly held his hands behind his back, “No. Have them wait in the lab room I spared for your team. Remind them they all must use their keycards as they arrive.”  
Serol dug out his phone and began to text, “Undersstood.”

Gaster’s tone turned serious, “I summoned you because we had a break in last night.”  
Serol nearly dropped his phone in shock, “What!? That shouldn’t be possssible!”  
“And yet, it happened. With the human nearly taken as a result.”  
Serol frowned. He replied gravely, “Oh… oh no… Please tell me-“  
Gaster swiftly cut him off, “The human is uninjured. Alphys is currently keeping close guard over it. Since the intruder resisted arrest, he has been dealt with.”  
Serol put a hand to his chest. He loudly sighed in relief, “Thank goodnessss.”  
He paused and gave a curious expression, “Iss my team here to aid in ssecurity ssolutionsss?”  
Gaster smirked, “Something to that affect. I simply need to ask you and your team a few questions.”

Serol stopped. His voice turned serious, “You think ssomeone let thiss intruder in.”  
Gaster halted after a few more paces. He looked back at Serol with a knowing glance. His back was still turned to Serol. He smirked as he dug into his pockets, “I know someone let him in.”  
Gaster pulled out the confiscated keycard. He held it for a moment to allow Serol to see it. Serol slumped. His jaw dropped slightly. Gaster continued, “This keycard was found in the intruder’s dust. Alphys has taken inventory of all keycards. The only ones missing other than hers, which she presented, are the ones lent out to _your_ team.”  
Serol crumpled to his knees. He hissed out in desperation, “I ssswear to you I had nothing to do with thisss. I promissse, I will aid in finding the traitor on my team.”  
Gaster stowed away the keycard before he turned towards Serol, “The fact you used your keycard to enter the lower lab lowers your suspicion.”  
Serol’s neck curled up, his head pointed towards Gaster. Relief washed over his face, “Thank you ssir.”  
Gaster frowned, “But that does not _clear_ you of suspicion.”  
Serol pointed his head back towards the floor, “I am prepared to do whatever it takesss to find the traitor.”

Gaster went to speak. A chime noise cut through the tension. Gaster paused and closed his mouth. He gave a befuddled look for a moment. He quickly glared down at Serol. Serol blushed slightly through his scales, “My apologiesssir. That isss my text tone.”  
Gaster highly facepalmed with one hand. His other hand cradled his elbow. He groaned, “Is it your team?”  
Serol dug his cell phone out of his messenger bag. He smiled, “Yess. They are all nearly here.”  
He seemed to examine the text carefully, “Well… almosst everyone. One hassn’t returned my textsss yet.”  
Gaster peaked a glare through his fingers. He smirked and lowered his hands, “If all of your approaching team has their keycards, I won’t need to interview them one by one. We’ll have found our traitor.”  
He approached Serol. He bent down slightly and offered Serol a hand, “Shall we greet them at the door?”  
Serol looked up. His frown lit up to a bright smile, “Yesssir!”

The two returned to the elevator. As they turned the corner, they noticed two members of the team waiting. The elevator whirred down, supposedly carrying the third team member. Gaster approached with a strict tone, “I take it you all remembered my request?”  
The first team member nodded, “Yeah. Enter the lower lab one at a time. We’re all here.”  
The second team member rolled their eyes, “Uh, no? Malv’s not here yet!”  
The first team member facepalmed, “Right. Malv. Sorry, they’re so quiet, I barely notice they’re around…”  
The second team member snarked, “Because they put in more work than you.”  
The first team member snarled, “You take that back!”  
Gaster cleared his throat. The two team members quickly took notice. They paled and stood in attention. The second team member was quick to apologize, “Sorry, sir.”

The doors opened to the third team member. He blinked and looked at Gaster, “Oh! I didn’t know you’d be meeting us here, sir.”  
Gaster calmly explained, “That wasn’t my original plan, but due to your hasty arrival, I decided to skip the one on one interviews.”  
The third team member stepped out of the elevator before it closed and whirred back to the upper lab. His co-workers gave a confused look. He expressed their confusion, “What do you mean? What’s going on?”  
The second team member perked up, “Is this… not about our progress on the soul scanning device?”  
Serol perked up. He began, “Well, there wass-“  
Gaster put a hand on Serol’s shoulder. Serol looked up at Gaster in confusion. Gaster evenly expressed, “I will explain.”  
Serol dipped his head down slightly, “Oh. Yesssir.”

By this time, the elevator began to go down once more. Gaster smiled as he heard the whir, “And we have our final guest.”  
The five stood in silence for the few moments it took the elevator to arrive at the lower lab. The door opened to the fourth team member. They blinked, “Well, this is unexpected.”  
Gaster smiled, “Good. All of you followed instructions. You are no longer the main suspects as a coconspirator of last night’s break-in.”  
The team’s faces paled in shock. The fourth team member gasped, “Wait, what?!”  
The first team member exclaimed, “What the hell is going on?! How could someone even break in?!”  
The third team member adjusted their glasses, “Oh! The keycards! Dr. Gaster asked us each to enter one by one using our keycards!”  
Gaster nodded, “Correct. Each one of you here has complied. However, there is one member of your team missing. Malv is now our main suspect.”

Gaster’s tone turned serious, “However, this could simply be incompetence on Malv’s part to show up. Therefore, I have no choice but to have you all detained here in the lower lab.”  
“What!?” “But, sir!” “You just said we’re cleared!” Most of the team members exclaimed simultaneously. Gaster shook his head, “I said you are no longer _main_ suspects. Due to the fact the human was the target of the break-in, I have no choice but to be cautious.”  
The first team member’s jaw dropped, “Someone was _dumb_ enough to try and take the human?!”  
“Yet intelligent enough to get past the lab’s security.” Gaster paused as the team quieted down, “Now. You will confine yourselves within the lab room I have spared for your team. You will stay there until I or one of the Royal Guard allows you to leave. Leaving before such time will deem you a coconspirator in this crime and you will be dusted as punishment. Do you understand?”  
The team and Serol answer at once, “Yes, sir.” “Yesssir…”  
Serol and his team begin to move into the lab. Gaster frowned and called out, “Serol.”  
Serol stopped and turned back to Gaster. He gave a confused and defeated look, “Yess?”  
“You will aid the Royal Guard in detaining Malv. Lead them to Malv’s home and return with them.”  
Serol gave a surprised expression, “Oh… right away… ssir…”


	22. End of Investigation

Serol was silent as he led two members of the Royal Guard through the metal pathways of Hotland. He was visibly uneasy. Not only did he not know his two escorts, but he also had to lead said escorts to a colleague and friend. A potential traitor. Serol felt his heart drop once more after countless times today. He didn’t know what was worse; that Malv was linked to the intruder’s break-in, or that he had to aid in arresting Malv. He sighed, either way, this was reality.  
After some twists and turns, Serol led the two Royal Guards to a residential district of Hotland. Nestled against a wall of volcanic rock were multiple floors filled with homes of stone and metal. Some were carved into the rock while others were metal homes on the platforms. Tall fences lined each platform and the stairs to each platform. A few monsters were hard at work improving supports, creating new homes, or repairing the platforms that held it all.

A few monsters turned and murmured at Serol and the guards as they passed. Serol dipped his neck to avoid the gazes of the crowd. Part of him wanted to turn tail and run. He was certainly capable; with his tail, he could jump far back into the metal paths of Hotland. He shook his head silently. No; he’d never forgive himself, and Dr. Gaster would not either. He continued down to the bottom platform of the residential district. This area had lights attached to the homes to light the area, though many were broken. Despite the darker area, Serol knew where to go.

Serol approached the first house carved into the volcanic rock. The curtains were visibly drawn and the door was closed. Serol turned to the Royal Guards nervously, “Um… it iss thiss one.”  
The first guard nodded. She turned the doorknob, only to have it jiggle slightly. Locked. Serol frowned, “Ssorry. I don’t have a key.”  
The second guard approached the door, “If Malv cooperates, that won’t be necessary.”  
The second guard knocked heavily on the door. They called out with an even, authoritative tone, “Malv, open up.”  
The three waited. Silence. No response. Serol looked visibly concerned, “That’sssstrange. They should be home.”  
The first guard knocked again. Before any time passed, Serol perked up, “Let me call them.”  
Serol dug into his bag and pulled out his cell phone. He dialed a number from memory fairly quickly. One ring. Two rings. On the second ring, the second guard’s ears perked up. They looked at the door with a scowl, “I hear a ringing in the house.”  
Serol kept the phone ringing. He pressed his head to the door for a moment. His eyes widened, “That’ss Malv’ss ringtone!”  
The second guard gently put a hand on Serol’s shoulder, “Stand aside.”  
Serol’s neck turned to the guard. Confusion budded before Serol relaxed. They gave a frown before they took a few paces out of the guards’ way. The first guard called out towards the door, “Last chance, Malv. Open the door, or we’re coming in.”  
Once more, the three of them waited. Silence. Not a hint of sound from inside once the ringtone ended. All was still. After a full minute, the two guards shared a look. They nodded. The second guard backed up a few paces. They charged the wooden door. It only took one charge before the door flew open. It smacked into the wall to only move an inch back as the two guards charged into Malv’s house one by one.

The house was small. It only consisted of a front room and backroom. The front room was spread out in its decoration with only a large beige rug connecting everything. In all but one corner of the room was a desk, each piled with papers, books, or mechanisms and parts. Each had a chair pulled out. All except one which sat as though someone was at the table. The two guards noticed immediately that a cell phone sat at the edge of this table. That gaze shifted towards the chair itself. The first guard dropped her weapon in shock. Sitting in the chair was a pile of dust. Much of it had spilled over onto the floor and carpet below. Some of it seemed as though it had been moved. The second guard approached the pile silently. Serol cautiously peeked inside. He opened his mouth to speak, but his jaw only hung open at the sight of the dust pile. Serol spoke with a quiet somber, “Iss that… Malv?”  
The second guard kneeled down close to the pile, “Only one way to find out. Damnit, and I thought doing this arrest was going to get me _away_ from cleaning up dust today.”  
The first guard shook her head in disappointment. Her gaze drifted to the floor, where it paused. She squinted her eyes as she spoke, “Wait… I think I see something in the carpet…”  
She kneeled down close to the carpet, “That kind of looks like a footprint!”  
The second guard, meanwhile, pulled out a pair of gloves and put them on, “Just one?”  
The second guard took a moment to examine the carpet surrounding the one footprint, “Nope! There’s more, and they go towards the door.”  
The second guard went back to her task. They muttered, “Okay… let's see if there’s an id here…”  
The second guard hesitated but stuck their gloved hand into the lower dust pile. They shivered and whined. They dug around in silence if not for their whines. The first guard, meanwhile, slowly tracked the footprints to the edge of the carpet near the door, “Okay… I think the one who stepped in dust whipped their feet off here before they left.”

Serol snaked his head in nervously, “Iss it ssafe to come in?”  
The first guard shook her head, “Not until we identify the-“  
The second guard exclaimed, “OH THANK GOODNESS! I found something!”  
The first guard’s head ripped back at her co-worker, “Did you really have to shout?!”  
The second guard hissed as they pulled a small item out of the dust, “Yes, because I don’t have to touch dust anymore!”  
The first guard stood with a sharp sigh, “Alright. What is it?”  
The second guard stood and looked down at the item with a frown, “Some sort of… pin? It’s some sort of overgrown tree?”  
Serol’s expression grew serious. He briskly walked into the room, “Pleasse. Let me ssee.”  
The first guard went to interject, but relaxed. The second guard raised a brow and showed the pin. It was a willow tree. It was copper plated. Some of the copper green shone on the sides, but most of the pin was coated in shoddily applied paint of brown and green. Serol’s neck extended until he could closely examine the pin. He frowned, “That’ss Malv’ss pin. It’ss a keepsssake of their fatherss.”  
The second guard gave a serious look, “Sooo, if we ask Dr. Gaster to check the cameras in the lab, it’ll show Malv wearing the pin?”  
Serol nodded and spoke confidently, “Yess. They alwayss wear it. Every day.”  
The first guard scratched her head, “Then… was Malv killed by the intruder?”  
Serol perked up, “Maybe that’ss how he got Malv’ss keycard! He murdered them and ssstole it!”  
The second guard shrugged, “That’s honestly what I started thinking when you said this was Malv’s.”

Serol’s neck lowered towards the dust pile, “Malv… I’m sso ssorry…”  
The first guard spoke sympathetically, “It’s not your fault, Serol. The intruder probably saw them as the best chance of getting into the lower lab.”  
Serol sighed, “Maybe… I jussst…”  
Serol cupped his face. A few tears leaked from his always open eyes. The first guard gently caressed his shoulder scales, “We know. Loss hurts.”  
Serol nodded. He didn’t take his hands away from his face. The three stood there for a few moments. More tears leaked from Serol. The second guard was the first to break the silence, “Um… sorry to interrupt this mourning… but… we all know we need to report back.”  
Serol sniffled, “Yess. That’ss right. Dr. Gasster is waiting for uss.”  
The first guard spoke calmly, “There should be a patrol somewhere in this district. Hopefully, we can spot them, and they can take care of Malv’s dust.”  
Serol nodded. He wiped the last of his tears away, “If… the dusst iss not claimed… I’ll sspread it. I think I know what Malv would have wanted.”  
The first guard nodded, “Ok.”  
The second guard spoke gently, “You… ready to go?”  
Serol nodded. His hands lowered from his face. He smiled sadly, “Yess. We besst not keep Dr. Gasster waiting.”

—————————————————————————

“So… yeah. The family’s just a motivation. They didn’t know.” Undyne concluded. Once more she sat in Gaster’s office, being interviewed by him. Her nose had some redness still from Susie’s punch, but was otherwise fine. Gaster sat across from her, writing in the same notebook as before. After a few scribbles he commented, “And this sister—Susie, I believe you said her name was— you are certain she was _only_ a motivation?”  
Undyne nodded, “Definitely. She was the most upfront with her answers.”  
She pointed to the redness on her nose with a proud smirk, “And she’s got one hell of a punch for someone so weak.”  
Gaster’s scribbles halted immediately. A baffled look crossed across his skull. His eye sockets blinked as he processed what he just heard. He stressed his words with a look of disbelief, “Did you just say she _struck_ you?”  
Undyne’s expression evened out as she relaxed, “Yeah. Because I let her. I told them all I killed Kurt. And if I was gonna let anyone of them hit me because of it, it’d be her.”  
Gaster sat still for a moment. His eye socket visibly twitched. He bought his free hand up to lightly facepalm his skull with a deep sigh. Undyne elaborated with a serious gaze, “I’m not pressing charges.”  
Gaster relaxed his arm. His expression slowly leveled out as he spoke, “I understand. But do not make yourself such a target in the future. We cannot afford the population to see weakness in the Royal Guard.“  
Undyne scowled. She stood and slammed her hands on Gaster’s desk, leaning on it, “I wasn’t showing weakness! I was making up for what I did to their family member!”

Gaster glared daggers at Undyne He stayed silent through Undyne’s excuse. He stood in return. He looked down at her, towering almost a foot over her. Undyne’s fins drooped. Her expression dropped. Her mind went at a million miles a minute. Did she say something wrong? Was it her slamming on the desk? No. She wasn’t wrong. Her expression evened out. She stood tall and stared straight into Gaster’s eye sockets. The two shared this glare for a solid moment before Gaster cracked a smirk. He scoffed, “Perhaps not.”  
He frowned and spoke in an authoritative tone, “Just learn to use that strength towards your duties. Not your superiors. Understood?”  
Undyne stood in attention. She replied, “Understood, Sir.”  
Gaster sat back down behind his desk, “Good. For now, tell the guards that are cleaning and examining the crime scene the location of our intruder’s family. Since you were averse to the idea, they will deliver his dust in your stead. Afterwards, you are dismissed and are to go back to your normal duties.”  
Undyne nodded. She turned to leave. She opened the door. Once the door swung open, Gaster spoke up, “One more thing, Undyne.”  
Undyne stopped. She turned towards her boss with a confused look, “Yeah?”  
Gaster glared back at Undyne, his eyes alight with magic, “Test me like that again and you won’t be sent off with a warning.”  
A chill ran down Undyne’s spine, but she kept her composure. She cursed silently; she pushed it too far. She frowned and replied evenly, “Understood, sir.”  
Undyne left without another word. She sighed deeply once out of earshot. She muttered to herself, “Goddamnit.”

She was quick to find the guards cleaning up the dust. She quickly mentioned the family’s location. With that, she left. Up the elevator and out of the lab. She followed the path and sighed, “Guess I should go to HQ. See if my patrol route’s changed.”  
Undyne grumbled. She already knew her route wouldn’t have changed. Didn’t hurt to try. She went to the elevator to New Home. Along the path, she saw Serol and two guards walk towards her. Serol’s expression was downcast, even his neck lowered his head to above his knees. The two guards accompanying him had more even expressions. Serol perked up at the sight of Undyne. His head raised to his shoulders as Undyne approached, “Oh! Missss Undyne. Hello.”  
Undyne waved, “Hey. What’s up? I’m finally done with this whole intruder business. You reporting in?”  
Serol’s expression dropped once more, “I already did. I am coming back from arressting the true culprit.”  
Undyne blinked. She leaned in place to see around Serol and the guards. No one else was with them. She raised a brow, “Doesn’t… look like you have anyone with you…”  
Serol nodded, “Yess. Malv wass killed.”  
Undyne’s eyes widened, “What, really?!”  
The first guard nodded, “We found a pile of dust on and surrounding a desk chair.”  
The second guard held up Malv’s pin, “We found this pin inside it. Serol said it’s Malv’s. We’re heading back to the lab to check the cameras to confirm it. Case seems pretty cut and dry from here.”  
Undyne nodded, “Yeah. The intruder’s family had nothing to do with the crime either; they were just a motivation.”  
Serol sighed in relief, “That iss good to hear.”  
Undyne began to walk, “Anyway. I gotta get going. I’m gonna go see if my route’s changed. And take care with Dr. Gaster.”  
Serol nodded, “I know.”

———————————————————————————

“There! You can ssee it there!” Serol pointed at a lower screen in the camera room. He stood there with the two guards and Gaster. All eyes locked on the screen Serol pointed to. It showed Malv, pinned on their chest was what appeared to be the same pin. The second guard held up the pin up towards the screen. Gaster’s eyes flitted between the pin on the screen and the pin in the guard’s hand. He nodded, “The pins are indeed the same. If everything you’ve reported is true, then I have no issue with your conclusion. Malv was simply a victim in all of this.”  
Serol sighed in relief. The first guard spoke, “Are there any other leads that need to be followed up on?”  
Gaster shook his head, “No. After everything I’ve heard today, I believe we’ve concluded this case swiftly and I have a solid sequence of events.”  
Gaster paused. He opened his notebook and recounted from his notes, “Kurt, our intruder, provoked by the fact his family didn’t receive any of the substitute, sough the human to correct it. To that end, he began to observe who frequented the laboratory to find targets and information. He chose Malv as his target. After killing them, Kurt immediately used Malv’s keycard to break into the lab and attempt to steal the human. An attempt that was thwarted by Undyne, thanks to Alphys quickly calling the Royal Guard. And because Kurt continued to break down the door after Undyne warned him, Undyne rightfully struck him down into dust.”  
Gaster sharply closed the notebook, “That is the overall sequence of events that this investigation has uncovered.”

Serol asked nervously, “Um… doesss thiss mean my team iss free to go?”  
Gaster nodded, “Yes.”  
Gaster turned to the guards, “Since you two were proactive in sending someone to clean the crime scene, you are dismissed after one more task each. One of you tell Serol’s team they are dismissed before you leave. As for the other, I want you to send a message to the Royal Guard’s headquarters.”  
The second guard nodded, “I’ll tell them. What do you need?”  
“Make a list of those interested in guard duty. Due to this incident, I will have no choice but to position guards at the elevator to the lower lab.”

The two guards left without another word. Gaster turned to Serol last, “And, Serol."  
Serol lowered his head, ready for a chastising. Instead, Gaster’s expression and tone calmed, “No matter the outcome, your team would have been shorted one member. If you feel you need another member to ensure the quality of the soul scanning device, I’ll allow it. If not, I’ll push back the next deadline to give your team time to grieve and adjust to the loss.”  
Serol flashed a surprised look. He didn’t expect Gaster to be sympathetic to the situation. He frowned, “I’m afraid that iss not a decccisssion I can make on my own. I will need to dissscussss it with my team.”  
Gaster nodded, “Understandable. I’ll give your team a hold period of 48 hours to come up with a decision. You may call me once you have such a decision.”  
Serol bowed his head slightly, “Thank you for this opportunity.”  
“It is only given because you cooperated. Now go. You’re dismissed.”  
“Thank you, ssir.”

——————————————————————————————

Alphys grinned ear to ear as she turned off the tv, “Sooo, what did you think?”  
Chara shrugged, slumped in their chair, “It was kind of entertaining. It is not something I’d normally enjoy, but I’m willing to talk about it with you.”  
Alphys jumped off the bed. She went over to the tv to collect and properly store the DVD, “That’s good to hear. I’ll have to watch these early episodes again, so I can tell you about them with a lot of detail.”  
Chara’s hand drifted up to their head. They casually scratched their head as they spoke, “It should hopefully break up the daily monotony.”

As Chara’s fingers traced downwards through their hair, they found their fingers stuck. Chara tried a couple more times but found their tangled hair unable to be tamed without a brush. Chara frowned. They expected this but not to such a degree; they knew it was inevitable in their situation. Alphys was quick to notice, “Is something wrong with your hair?”  
Chara sighed. They gently pulled their fingers out without running through their hair. They had a visible tangle of hair on their right side. They replied with an annoyed tone, “Only tangles. It’s to be expected since I haven’t been able to brush it for almost a month.”  
Alphys began to shift her gaze around the room, “Hold on. I think I have a comb around here somewhere…”  
Chara sputtered a small chuckle, “Why do you have a comb? You have scales, not hair.”  
Alphys blushes as she began to move things around on her dresser, “I found it in the dump. I washed it and…”

Her expression softened. She sighed, “It… reminded me of Ma.”  
Chara raised an inquisitive brow, “A comb reminded you of your mother?”  
Alphys nodded, “One of them.”  
“What does that mean?”  
Alphys continued to dig around her room for the comb as she spoke, “When monsters reproduce, we aren’t bound to specific sexes to reproduce. Theoretically, any monster can reproduce with any other monster. If not physically, then through magic.”  
Chara blinked in surprise, “That’s convenient. As far as I can tell, human reproduction still requires a man and a woman.”  
Alphys gave a small chuckle, “Yeah. That’s what the books on human biology said, too. But, they kind of hinted that they’re making some strides through science, but there wasn’t much on that subject in my books.”

Alphys opened one of the drawers. She beamed and exclaimed, “Here it is! I knew I kept it safe!”  
Alphys pulled out a medium sized comb. It was a black comb with some fake jewel ornamentation. A few of said fake jewels had already fallen out of their sockets. A few of the teeth were broken off as well, but not enough to make the comb unusable. Alphys frowned. Her tone got more somber as she spoke, “It’s… not as pretty as Ma’s… but that was broken when… she and mom died…”  
Chara frowned. They said nothing in response. They knew nothing they could say would help. Alphys took a deep breath of recovery. Her expression evened, “But… I still remember them. Mom used to say she fell in love with Ma because she saw Ma and her golden hair shine in the moonlight.”  
Chara instinctually grasped their locket. Their mind drifted to the Dreemurrs. While being confined to this lab, would Chara soon forget them? The scent of Toriel’s cooking? The loving but naive guidance of Asgore? The soft touch and laughter of Asriel? The whispers reappeared. Their chest felt heavy. Every fiber of their being told them it would be true. Chara had proof around their neck that they would remember them. Even Alphys remembered her parents after, for all Chara knew, centuries!

Chara’s thoughts were disrupted by Alphys. Her voice was close, “Chara? Are you okay?”  
Chara snapped back to reality. Alphys had come up to Chara and stood in front of them. Chara kept and even expression. They nodded, “I am fine.”  
Alphys smiled softly. She held the comb to Chara, “Here. It may be a little sensitive. Please be careful.”  
Chara frowned, “I’m not used to using a comb. All my life I’ve used a brush.”  
Alphys held the comb close to her, “Oh! That’s okay! I brushed Ma’s hair when I was young. I know what a comb can take. Here. Let’s move the chair closer to the bed. I’ll comb your hair.”  
Chara turned their head back. They scooted the chair across the floor, only a few feet, to be next to the bed with their back turned to it. Alphys sat on the bed behind Chara. She nodded, “Perfect. Now… I can’t guarantee this won’t hurt a little, but I’ll try to be gentle. Okay?”  
Chara pushed their hair back behind their ears. All except their bangs now lay on their back. Alphys gently grasped some of Chara’s hair, “Okay. I’ll start from the bottom and work my way up. That should make everything less painful.”  
Alphys slowly ran the comb through a small section of hair. Such tangles were undone with some resistance. Alphys slowly, carefully combed through Chara’s hair. She held sections of hair at a time and worked from the bottom up. After most of the bottom was complete, Alphys commented, “Wow, I never realized how soft your hair was.”  
Chara fidgeted in their seat a little, “I suppose.”  
“Ma’s hair was always corse. I think it was to protect her instead of making her pretty.”  
Chara snickered, “And yet your mother found beauty in it regardless.”  
Alphys nodded, “Yeah. Was it the same for your birth parents?”

Chara’s lighthearted expression dropped sharply, not that Alphys could see. They leaned their head forward. No sound escaped them. Alphys noticed Chara moving. She perked up, “Chara?”  
Chara stressed their words, “I don’t want to talk about them. Even if I did, I don’t know the answer to your question.”  
Alphys frowned but she continued combing Chara’s hair regardless. She sighed. The two stayed silent for a moment before Chara spoke with a small chuckle of disbelief, “But, it’s funny.”  
Alphys raised a brow, “What?”  
“I can’t tell which one has hurt me more. Him. Or my birth mother.”  
Alphys’s combing stopped. Her eyes widened. The skin under her scales paled. Dread overtook her tone, “She… hurt you?”  
A few tears peaked from Chara’s eyes. They began to choke on their words, “Yes.”  
Alphys immediately hugged Chara from behind, around their shoulders. Chara’s arms wrapped Alphys’s from under. Chara leaned their chin and rested it on their fingers. Tears flowed. Chara began to choke and sob, “This is why I didn’t want to talk about her.”  
Alphys spoke simply, “I’m sorry.”  
The two sat there for many long minutes. Chara’s sobs the only source of noise in the room. Never pulling away from each other’s embrace. Not until the sobs stopped. Chara took a few slow, deep breaths. They lifted their head and lowered their arms. They spoke two words, “Thank you.”  
Alphys nodded, “Of course.”

Alphys went back to slowly comb out Chara’s hair. Alphys was careful, slow, meticulous in the combing. By the time she was done, both of them knew it had been another half hour since they had begun. She had even moved to in front of Chara to carefully comb their bangs, what little tangles they had. She smiled, content with her completed task, “There. All done.”  
Alphys stood tall as Chara adjusted their hair to their normal hairstyle. Alphys went over towards the dresser, “Your hair really shines when it’s cared for.”  
Chara shrugged, “I’ve not been able to wash it, so that shine could simply be oil and grime.”  
Alphys carefully put her comb away, “Well, maybe next time we can do that!”  
Chara frowned, “I highly doubt we will have time like this ever again.”  
“Then… what if when I come into your room, I could bring some water and the comb? It’s a little rudimentary, but we’d be able to wash your hair and comb it. I’ve been re-reading some sections of the books I kinda… glazed over… and all manner of hygiene care can affect your health if neglected.”  
Chara stretched in their chair, “I suppose that could work…”  
Alphys nodded, “Okay! How about after they replace your door tomorrow?”  
Chara blinked. They settled back in their chair with a confused glance, “What? Are they… not replacing it now?”  
Alphys shook her head, “Well… no. The replacement door has to be made. It’ll be delivered early tomorrow. Honestly, the door change might wake you up.”  
“Oh… I see…”

There was an awkward silence before a knock sounded on the door. Both Alphys and Chara stared at the door. Alphys in curiosity. Chara with tinges of fear. Alphys approached the door and opened it. Gaster stood there with an even expression. Alphys slumped over submissively, “Oh! Dr. Gaster. Is the… investigation complete?”  
Gaster answered evenly, “Indeed it is. And the crime scene has been cleaned.”  
His gaze fell on Chara. A chill ran down Chara’s spine. Gaster called out to Chara, “It is time you returned to your room. I will take you there myself.”  
Alphys blinked, “Sir, is this necessary? I’m sure you have a lot of work-“  
Gaster glared down at Alphys. He interrupted in an authoritative tone, “I said. I will take the human _myself_.”  
Alphys quieted immediately. She curled in on herself further. She stepped back a few paces. She replied with a chastised tone, “Yes… sir…”  
Gaster once more looked over at Chara. He simply motioned for Chara to follow, “Do I need to force you?”  
Chara’s expression dropped. They silently stood from their seat and approached. Gaster smirked as Chara approached with an avoided gaze. He spoke simply, “Good.”  
Gaster turned to leave. Chara followed behind in silence. Before they left the room, Alphys quietly spoke, “S-see you later, Chara…”


	23. Left or Right?

Chapter 23- Left or Right?

The walk back to Chara’s room was silent. Chara kept their gaze downwards, away from Gaster. Their emotions drifted between fear, despondency, and numbness. It had only been a few hours at most and already they were being whisked back to their prison. They watched silently while Gaster approached the door. The intruder’s dust was completely gone. The only evidence that was left of him was the damage he’d done to the door. It was lightly scratched around the doorknob. Most of the damage came around the hinges. Deep ridges had been dug just next to the hinges on the door. Even some of the wall next to the hinges had mild scratches. Gaster sighed the damage. He rubbed his temples as he muttered, “Just one night.”  
He opened the door and motioned for Chara to enter. He glared down at them, his tone firm, “Get inside and _stay_.”  
Chara looked up at Gaster. They had full intention to match their captor’s glare. They did for a moment. It quickly faltered back to a submissive and avoiding glance. They curled their hand into a fist while the other hand tightly clasped their locket. After a few seconds, Chara silently walked into their room. They could feel Gaster stare down at them as they moved. Not a smirk, but a serious, _possessive_ , glare. As Chara moved towards their bed, they heard Gaster speak in a pleased tone, “Before I go. I have some news for you.”  
Chara turned back to Gaster with a confused look. Gaster continued with a smile, “We will begin extracting smaller doses of blood starting next week.”  
Chara instinctually hugged themselves. They turned away from Gaster quickly without another word. Gaster flashed a smirk before he closed the door and locked both locks behind him. With that, Chara was alone: imprisoned once again. They sat down on their bed, arms still tightly wrapped around themselves. They gritted their teeth for a few long moments. The ringing in their ears grew. All this slowly faded after a few minutes. Their jaw relaxed. The ringing subsided. They laid their arms at their side. They frowned deeply and sat in silence. A numbness overtook them. Even their thoughts silenced. With nothing running through their mind, Chara laid down on their bed and slept the day away.

Hours passed. Chara knew their sleep faded in and out, but this time their sleep was interrupted by a knock on their door. The familiar four-time knock. By now, they’ve memorized the pattern of Alphys’s knock. Alphys spoke gently, “Chara? Did… anything happen?”  
Chara slowly got out of bed and went to the door. They spoke evenly, “Only a threat that he will steal more blood soon.”  
Alphys sighed as she scooted the next tray of food under the door, “That’s a relief. I thought he was about to do something to you.”  
Chara began to eat.  “I thought as much, too.”  
Chara heard Alphys settle next to the door. She confessed, “I don’t know why he wanted to escort you back here personally, then.”  
Chara mused dryly, “Considering what you told me on the way to your room, he is most likely losing trust in you. Or today’s investigation stirred him up.”  
“I really hope I haven’t lost his trust. I… I may have to lay low for a while. Help you when he’s not around.”

A silence passed over the two. Alphys broke it a minute later with a curious tone, “Um… anyway. Did you still want me to help you wash your hair tomorrow? I don’t think I have much to do tomorrow afternoon.”  
Chara paused as they chewed and swallowed their food. They replied nonchalantly, “Sure.”  
Alphys smiled. Her tone turned pleased, “Okay. I think I’ll only need to bring a bucket of water, the comb, and a chair. We don’t want your bed to get wet.”  
A small chuckle escaped Chara, “That does make sense.”

Chara pushed the tray outside the room. “I’m done.”  
Alphys collected the tray calmly. She spoke, “Do you need another hug? Or your hand held?”  
Chara sighed, “Just my hand.”  
Chara settled against the wall. Meanwhile, Alphys comfortably stuck her hand under the door. Chara went to partially stick their hand under the door to meet Alphys’s grip. As their arm slid against the wood of the door, Chara felt the wood cut into their skin. They gasped. Though their hand had only begun to touch Alphys’s fingers, Chara jerked their hand away. Chara held their arm. Their eyes locked onto their forearm in the dark. They couldn’t see it, but they felt a small cut on their skin. Alphys turned towards the door with a worried voice, “Chara? What happened?!”  
Chara hissed slightly, “I think the door cut me.”  
Alphys began to dig into her pockets. She frowned at the door, focused on the cuts and gashes in the door. She spoke with slight sorrow, “Probably from the cuts and gashes on the door.”  
She retrieved her key from her pocket. The key hovered around the lock as she spoke, “Do you want me to come inside and treat it?”  
Chara rubbed a finger along the cut. They felt some wetness along the cut, but their blood only peeked out of their skin. They began to apply pressure to the cut. They called out to Alphys evenly, “No. It is small, I can take care of it.”  
Alphys relaxed her arm with the key.  Her tone relaxed as well, “Oh… okay. Do you need anything to help?”  
“No. It is small enough to only apply pressure.”  
“Okay. Hopefully, this door will be repaired tomorrow. I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”  
“I will be fine. Thank you.”  
Alphys collected the tray of food. “Alright. Goodnight, Chara.”  
“Goodnight.”

———————————————————————————

Chara found it difficult to fall asleep. They laid in bed for what felt like hours. The events of the past day swirled in their head. The cut on their arm had long since stopped bleeding and clotted over. Chara looked at the cut in the darkness, what little they could see. Their expression dropped to an annoyed glare at the cut. It slowly drifted over to the door. The cause of the cut. Chara got up from their bed and glared at the door. They lifted their leg and gave the door a swift kick around the bottom corner of the door with the hinges. Just above the panel. With the kick, Chara heard a noise. A light flashes between the door and the hinges. Chara paused. Their expression turned curious. They kneeled down to examine the door. They pushed into it: part of the door had become thin from the scratches and gashes. Their kick has cracked that area slightly. Chara’s eyes widen. Disbelief grew on their face. Another chance to escape? Would it truly be this easy? It had to be late, no doubt their captor could be asleep by now.

Chara paused. Fear and dread grew. Their chest felt heavy. They began to shake. The ringing returned. They clutched their locket for some semblance of comfort. How would he react to them escaping again? They remembered last time vividly. The begging. The machine. The heaviness in their chest grew as did the ringing to deafening. Chara breathed heavily. They gritted their teeth and spoke, “No… that’s _why_ I have to escape him.”

Determination returned to their face. The ringing and the heaviness in their chest subsided. They looked down at the door. They took a deep breath to steel themselves. They curled their toes and lifted their foot. Wham. Wham. Wham. One kick at a time, Chara concentrated on the spot they kicked before. The wood slowly began to give and break. With one final kick, a small hole splintered open. Chara gasped, their foot still raised, poised to strike. They lowered to their knees to examine their work. They peeked through the hole to see the hallway, wood splintered in front of the door. Chara looked down. They saw the latch lock just below the hole. Chara slowly, carefully stuck their arm through the hole. It fit, but their arm scraped against the splinters of the door. It took a minute of careful maneuvering, but Chara managed to grasp the latch lock. They muttered to themselves, “Come on… come on!”  
Chara contorted their arm slightly to grasp the little piece needed to open the lock. Their face lit up as they took hold of it with two fingers. They quietly exclaimed, “Yes!”  
With two swift motions, Chara unlocked the latch lock. The panel was unlocked. Chara squeezed under the door through the panel with little effort. Without any hesitation, they ran the path to the elevator.

The twists and turns of the lab were familiar by now to Chara. They swiftly flew through the dimmed corridors, waiting to catch sight of the elevator. They turned another corner. As they did, they saw a figure in the center of the hallway. They instantly recognized Gaster. His expression was cross. His eyes alight with magic the instant Chara rounded the corner. Chara could only gasp, knowing they’d been caught. They paled. Their face became alight with fear and shock. The ringing returned to their ears sharply, painfully. They felt themselves come to a stop, not by their own two feet, but the familiar grips of Gaster’s magic upon their soul. They were lifted up and unable to move save for some small shakes and their expression. Gaster approached. Despite his cross expression, his tone was even, “I suspected you may use that damage to escape. Sad to see you still haven’t internalized your lesson after last time.”  
Chara quivered out their words, “How… you- you should be asleep. I…”  
Their words faded with their fear. Gaster’s cross expression melted to amusement. He let out one single chuckle and waved a finger at Chara slowly, “How quick you are to forget. Or perhaps you weren’t paying attention.”  
Gaster pointed at a top corner of the hallway, just above Chara. Chara struggled to move their head to see the object Gaster called to their attention. A camera. A chill ran down Chara’s spine. Gaster continued in an even tone, “I was reviewing the camera footage today, to ensure Alphys kept her word. A final task before I fell asleep. And you just happened to pick your next escape at an inopportune time.”

Gaster’s expression dropped to a glare. “This the fourth time you have tried to escape. I’m growing tired of these games of yours, _especially_ after you were almost _stolen_ from me!”  
Chara continued to shake. A few tears began to bud. They wanted to say something, anything, but nothing would exit their mouth save a few squeaks. They watched as Gaster’s face slowly contorted from rage, to a curious glance, to a dark smirk. He chuckled, “Since you _prefer_ to play games, why don’t we play a game for your punishment? Here and now.”  
Chara reeled slightly. Gaster lifted a single finger as he explained, “I will ask you one question. If you can answer it correctly, I will let you go. I will give you a half hour before the Royal Guard is mobilized to find you.”  
Chara’s eyes widened. There is no chance it would be that simple. There must be a trick. Their suspicions were confirmed when Gaster next spoke. He stuck his arm out partway, palm facing up as though something was within his grasp. He continued, “However. Should you fail to answer correctly, I’m afraid I will have to punish you.”   
He closed his palm tightly as he stressed his words, “ _Drastically_ this time.”  
A lump formed in Chara’s throat. They managed to speak with fear, “What- what are you going to do to me?!”  
Gaster relaxed his arms behind his back. He chuckled, “If you answer incorrectly, you will see. Now, left… or right?”  
Chara blinked. They raised a brow. Their mouth contorted slightly as confusion bled into their fearful expression. Their tone turned confused but cautious, “Wha… what?”  
Gaster repeated evenly, “Left or right? That is your question."  
Chara retorted curtly, “That’s not fair! That’s not a question at all!”  
Gaster smirked. He mused, “Then we’ll skip this little game, straight into the punishment-“  
“No!” Chara exclaimed. They cut off Gaster in a panic. Gaster chuckled lightly, “As I thought. So, left… or right?”

Chara was silent. Their mind raced through many possibilities. Though the question only had a fifty percent chance of failure, the vagueness of the question frightened Chara. The first thought that crossed Chara’s mind was of Gaster’s magic. They were currently suspended in the air through his magic, signaled by his eyes. Chara glanced at Gaster’s eyes. His left blue eye was brighter than his orange right eye. His left. A decent enough answer. The next thought was nearby his eyes; his scars. Chara’s gaze immediately shifted to the scar over Gaster’s right eye. The scar they caused. An obvious choice. Chara opened their mouth to answer. They hesitated: he wouldn’t make it that easy. Still, they shook; no matter the answer, Chara still felt as though they were taking a shot in the dark. They could answer the obvious choice and say right. Or they could have a chance to see through his deception and answer left. Chara took a deep breath. Their voice still wavered as they answered, “L-left!”  
Gaster’s smirk grew. His orange eye shone brightly. He spoke darkly, “Incorrect.”  
Any ounce of confidence left in Chara’s expression melted away. Before they could speak, they felt several hands on their left calf. Chara looked down to see two of Gaster’s disembodied hands grip Chara’s calf. One higher than the other, each grasped a different side of the calf. Chara went to speak in protest but it was too late.

In one swift motion, the two disembodied hands moved to contort and break Chara’s calf. The first thing Chara processed was the loud snap sound. Then the visual of their calf slightly bent to the side in an unnatural way. Though bruises could be seen, no blood was seen outside the skin. The next second, the pain. Chara screamed out in anguish. They felt themselves drop to the floor with a thud, but it wasn’t a bother compared to the pain in their leg. Chara tried to cradle their leg in a desperate attempt to dull the pain. It was to no avail. They could do nothing but partway curl into a ball and let out anguished grunts as tears peeked from their eyes. Meanwhile, Gaster leaned against a wall to recover. He held the right side of his skull as he took slow, even breaths. He recovered quickly while Chara still hissed between their teeth and grunted in pain. Gaster looked down at them with a glare. He spoke darkly, “There… If I cannot break that stubborn will of yours, then I will make it _physically_ impossible for you to escape.”  
Chara opened one eye to match his glare. A few tears had fallen down their face. They grunted and hissed out, “You… demon…”  
Gaster rolled his eye sockets as he approached Chara. He mused, “We’ve already discussed this.”

Gaster grabbed Chara by their hair. Chara grunted further. They tried to stop their leg from hitting the floor, but Gaster lifted them to their knees. Their arms leg go of their left leg. It fell to the floor with a thud. Chara cried out briefly as a new round of pain shot through their body. Gaster hissed his words, “Alphys will set your leg in the morning. Let this be your final lesson. Do _not_ escape your room again. You _will_ obey my orders. Or I will break all of your arms and legs. I am done with your games, especially after last night.”  
Chara’s pained expression continued. They did nothing but grunt and grit their teeth from their pain. They cursed themselves silently on a wrong answer. They should have gone with the obvious choice. Before they could mentally go on a tirade, Chara had a realization. There was a very real possibility that both answers were false, that Gaster had made it up to give them a small inkling of hope. He was never going to let them step one foot outside regardless of their answer. At this realization, their expression calmed, almost glazed over. They slumped in Gaster’s grip, though they were careful about their left leg. Chara’s loud grunts and deep breaths quieted but did not silence. Chara could only think of one word to describe how they felt body, mind, and soul: broken. Tears began to stream heavily from their eyes. It had taken only a month and it finally happened.

Gaster’s expression softened to neutral. He sighed, not buying Chara’s tears. No doubt crocodile tears once more. At least now they couldn’t physically escape if they wanted to. That was enough to last the night. He couldn’t think much as his cell phone started to ring. With his free hand, he dug into his pocket and fished it out. He answered professionally, “Yes?”  
Alphys’s panicked voice blared through the phone, “Sir! I’m so sorry to wake you, but- but I heard Chara scream! I went to their room, but they weren’t there! And the door-“  
Gaster swiftly cut her off in an authoritative tone, “I have the human here. It used the damage the intruder caused to escape.”  
Alphys calmed slightly, her tone now curious, “Um… okay… but… why did they scream? What happened?”  
Gaster rolled his eyes as he answered, “Nothing you need to worry about until morning. You are dismissed for the night.”  
Gaster could here a confused protest of “Huh? Wait!-“ before Gaster ended the call. He glanced down at Chara. Their expression was still glazed over. Their tears still flowed. Their breathing heavy from the pain but they were otherwise silent. Gaster silently teleported the two to Chara’s room. He finally let go of Chara’s hair. They let out a quiet cry as their body settled on the floor, their injured leg moved once again. Gaster leaned down and spoke evenly, “I expect you to behave from now on. Or else you won’t be the only one injured.”  
Chara gave a confused and concerned look. Gaster quickly flashed Asriel’s locket from his pocket. Chara’s eyes widened for a moment before they lowered their head. They hid their expression from him. Gaster stood tall. He said nothing as he teleported out of the room, but made sure to lock the latch lock before he fully left.

An expert from the journal of Dr. W.D Gaster  
 _The investigation concluded swiftly, with no coconspirators. Despite this, I am keeping a small section of the guard on alert for Malv, just in case their pin was merely a trick. Otherwise, Serol and his team have yet to choose a replacement, but they have time to make that choice.  
Frustratingly, the damage the intruder caused provoked the human to escape once again. Thankfully, the timing of its escape couldn’t have been timed more perfectly, as I was able to catch it quickly and punish it just as swiftly. With yesterday’s break-in, I can no longer afford to give the human any leeway. I have no choice but to focus my efforts on its new room._


	24. Understanding

Chara’s breath was even but heavy. They struggled to crawl into their bed without disrupting their newly broken leg. They raised themselves upon their right leg with as little pressure on their left leg as possible. They gritted their teeth as they hoisted themselves onto the bed. They laid down on the bed on their stomach. Their left leg dangled off the bed at an uncomfortable angle. They grunted and hissed. They slowly struggled to move their leg onto the bed to a comfortable position. At last, their leg was still. Their breathing slowly became relaxed. The beating pain in their leg subsided but did not fade. They could focus on nothing else.

Their focus was torn away from the pain by a panicked knock on the door. It was quickly followed by Alphys’s equally panicked voice, “Chara?! Are you in there?”  
Chara jumped slightly in their bed. The jolt reawakened their pain. Chara made a strained noise before their heavy breathing resumed. They could see a figure shuffle outside their door through the small hole they made. Alphys’s voice quieted and her panic turned to dread, “Chara? Are you hurt?”  
Chara strained to speak, “Y… yes…”  
Chara heard the two locks click open in succession. Their door flew open before Alphys rushed into the room. Alphys rushed to their bedside. Her voice and expression filled with panic, “Let me see! Where does it hurt?!”  
“Left… leg…”

Alphys’s gaze switched to the body part. In the darkness, she could see nothing overtly wrong with it. She turned back to the door and flipped the switch next to it. She turned back and gasped. At that distance, she could see a large bruise midway up the calf. The calf had begun to swell to a noticeable degree. She couldn’t see any blood but Chara’s scent had increased slightly.  
Alphys paused. Her expression dropped to sorrow. Her tone turned downcast, “Chara…”  
She kneeled next to the bed. She looked over at Chara. She slowly questioned, “How did this happen?”  
Chara hesitated. Their pained expression melted to mirror Alphys’s sorrow yet averted her gaze. They answered honestly, “He did it.”  
Alphys gave a look of understanding in her sorrow. She sighed and confessed, “I thought so.”  
Chara looked back at her with confusion. Alphys expanded, “I… I knew that wasn’t your normal scream. A-and you only screamed loudly once. And… when we talked on the phone… he was surprisingly calm considering you escaped. Especially… when you think about yesterday…”  
Alphys shook her head. She quickly stood. Her face and tone turned serious, “But I can’t keep talking about it like this! We’ve got to get that leg set and in a splint!”  
She turned towards the door. “Just wait here! I’ll go get everything!”  
Alphys ran out of the door. Chara muttered to themselves dryly, “As if I have a choice.”

Alphys returned around fifteen minutes later in a rush. Chara heard her panicked footsteps this time and did not jump as she rushed back into the room. She held a box in her arms. She placed it at Chara’s bedside and kneeled down next to the bed. She reached into the box and pulled out an icepack and placed it on Chara’s leg. Chara grunted at first at the new sensation. Soon, it seemed to numb the pain somewhat. Chara relaxed and sighed in relief, “That helps a little.”  
Alphys nodded, her voice relaxed, “Yeah. It’s not much, but this should numb the pain and keep your leg from swelling more… otherwise, this split won’t work correctly.”  
Chara raised a brow and asked, “You are only going to splint it?”  
Alphys nodded. “Yeah… I’ve read about casts in the books on human biology… but we don’t have those. But this should work. After… we get this swelling down… It looks like your leg doesn’t need to set either, which will save you some pain.”

Alphys and Chara stayed there in silence for a few minutes. All the while the ice soothed Chara’s leg. Its swelling seemed to halt if not decrease. Alphys took the icepack and put it back into the box. She turned to Chara with a sympathetic gaze. She spoke cautiously, “Okay. I’m… sorry. This will still hurt while I do this.”  
She reached into the box and pulled out a carved wooden trinket. She put in in Chara’s hand and spoke, “Put this between your teeth to grit the pain.”  
Chara looked at the trinket in their hand. It was a long rod-like trinket with a lizard carved around it. It looked old and worn, but the wood was still firm. Chara put the trinket in their mouth between their teeth. They moved their hands to the bed frame and tightly grasped it. They looked back and Alphys and nodded. Alphys gulped. She nodded in returned. She spoke cautiously, “Right… here I go… First, I have to straighten your leg. It’s… not going to like it…”  
Alphys took a deep breath. She slowly placed both her hands on Chara’s leg. Chara gritted the trinket a little but made no sound. Alphys slowly moved Chara’s leg until it was straightened. Chara began to grunt and breathe heavily once more. Their arms shook slightly as they kept themselves pulled up and yet not curled on themselves. Alphys in the meantime, kept Chara’s leg straightened with one hand. She leaned down into the box and got out two thin metal rods. She placed them next to Chara’s calf. She sighed in relief, “Good, these will work.”  
She reached into the box and pulled out a strange wound up cloth. Chara recognized it as the gauze Toriel had used. Alphys began to unwind the gauze and spoke, “Um… this gauze is supposed to heal monsters. It’s enchanted with magic specially designed to do that. But… I don’t think the magic will work on you. Or maybe not fully. I’m not sure.”  
Chara removed the trinket from their mouth to speak, “Mother used the same gauze when I was injured. I did silently wonder why I was healing faster. I never questioned it since I still took time to heal.”  
Alphys blinked and spoke with surprise, “So, it does work on you? Huh… maybe it just accelerates your body’s healing…”

Chara shrugged before they put the trinket back in their mouth. Alphys placed the rods against Chara’s leg on opposite sides. She placed the end of the gauze at the top of one of the rods just below Chara’s knee. Alphys slowly and carefully wound the gauze around Chara’s leg and kept the rods firmly against Chara’s leg. She cut off the excess and tied the rest around Chara’s ankle. With the splint done, Alphys sighed in relief, “There… that should do it.”  
She retrieved the ice pack and a few pillows from the box. She carefully lifted Chara’s leg and put the pillows under it, elevating the leg. She placed the ice pack back onto Chara’s leg gently. Chara took the trinket out of their mouth and spoke curiously, “Do monsters have pain medicine? Mother just kept my mind off the pain.”  
Alphys stood and shook her head. She confessed, “No… and I’m not good at any anesthetic magic. Sorry…”  
Chara sighed disappointedly, “It should be fine. We will just have to use ice packs.”  
Alphys nodded. Her voice turned calm, “Um… do you need help finding a comfortable position? Oh! And the sheets!”  
Chara pushed their upper body up. They used one hand to lower the sheets on their bed, already partially pulled down. With Alphys’s help, they were able to pull the sheets out from under them. Alphys laid the sheets over Chara. She sighed, “Okay… I… I think that’s all I can do for tonight. I’ll see how much of the gauze we have. I… didn’t see any blood, so we won’t have to change it for a few days.”  
Alphys fidgeted with her hands as she spoke, “Um… and I’ll also look for um… crutches. Or maybe a wheelchair. Which one would you prefer?”  
Chara mused in silence. They detested the idea of either. Yet, their broken leg was something more detestable. They first thought of the crutches. A thought of Gaster maliciously pulling one away to make them fall came to mind. Chara cringed at the thought. They moved their thoughts to the wheelchair. Despite it having limited mobility, they would have most of the control over that mobility through handling the wheels. It would work. Chara spoke evenly, “A wheelchair. If you can find one.”  
Alphys nodded. She quickly collected the box before she spoke, “Ok. I’m sure I can find one somewhere. Is there anything else I can do?”  
Chara replied dryly, “I don’t suppose you can turn back time?”  
Alphys gave a half-laugh, “Heh heh… No… sorry.”  
“Worth a shot.”

Alphys gathered the box and the remaining gauze. She spoke cautiously, “Now, don’t keep that ice on too long. I think I read that keeping ice on your skin too long can actually burn it. So… keep it on for a while and remove it before you go to sleep. I’ll come back with a fresh one in the morning.”  
She continued with some hope, “I’ll probably have to bring your meals to your bed because of this. And that means we can talk more! And I can bring you some books for us to read together!”  
She lightly laughed and put a hand to her head, “Why didn’t I think of that before?”  
Chara grumbled, “I will see how I feel tomorrow.”  
Alphys’s expression dropped. Her tone did as well, “Oh… yeah. That makes sense.”  
She began to leave the room. She placed the box outside the room and turned back to Chara with an even tone, “I’ll see you tomorrow. Goodnight.”  
“Goodnight.”  
Alphys closed and locked the door behind her.

———————————————————————————————

Chara felt themselves drift to sleep. Before they drifted, they lightly shook their left leg. Tinges of pain resurfaced but didn’t disturb them. The icepack fell off of Chara’s leg and squished onto the floor. Chara sighed in relief. The pain of their leg faded as darkness gave form to colors.

Chara’s eyes flittered open. The room around them was bright and warm. It was familiar. Chara’s eyes widened in realization. This was their shared bedroom with Asriel. They gasped. They sat on the side of their bed and threw off the warm covers. They paused and looked down. They were in their sweater and pants again. They carefully moved their left leg. Nothing. No pain. Chara narrowed their eyes as they mused, “Was it… all a nightmare?”  
They looked over at the opposite side of the room at Asriel’s bed. It was messy, as though Asriel had thrown off the covers in a rush. Asriel. Chara’s chest felt heavy. They heard the whispers, but this time they did not echo in their head. Chara’s gaze drifted towards the source. The open doorway to the rest of the house. The whispers transformed into familiar voices. The Dreemurrs. Laughing. Talking. Still alive. Chara began to shake. They spoke aloud in shock, “They’re… alive?”  
Tears began to well and drop from their eyes. A large smile grew on their face. Their voice cracked from sobs of relief and joy, “It… it was really all just a dream!”  
Chara flew to the door. They called out in joy, “Mother! Father! Asriel!”

As they reached the doorway, they felt something stop them. They felt as though they ran into something. Chara gasped and fell to the floor in front of the doorway. They groaned and rubbed their head before they looked up. On the other side of the doorway was the normal hallway. Inside the doorway, reality in front of them seemed to ripple as though a rock had been tossed into water. Chara wiped the tears from their face. Confusion enveloped them. They stood silently. They outstretched a hand towards the door. They felt something block the door. It was solid, but it wasn’t hard like stone. A strange force that rippled with every movement their hand made. Chara’s confusion grew. They spoke, panic slowly grew in their voice, “No… no this can’t be!”  
Desperation encompassed Chara’s expression. They pounded on the barrier that blocked their way. They called out, “Mother! Father! Asriel! I’m here! I’m finally awake! Please, can you hear me?”  
The voices went unchanged. Chara’s tears resumed. They called out again, “I’m right here! Why can’t you hear me?!”  
The hallway through the door began to warp and stretch. The voices grew distant as the hallway distorted. Chara stopped pounding on the barrier and only leaned against their upper body on it. They pressed their face into the barrier and screamed out, “Wait! Don’t go!”  
The hallway slowly faded to black. Nothing could be seen past the doorway. No light. No color. The only sense past the door was the sound of Asriel’s distant laughter. Chara slowly slid down the barrier to their knees. Their voice went quiet as they spoke sorrowfully, “Asriel…”  
The world around Chara faded to black. Within this black were strange sounds. Shuffling. Small items being dropped and picked up. Such sounds grew bit by bit until Chara felt a shift in their consciousness.

————————————————————————————

Chara grumbled and opened their eyes. The familiar sight of their cell in Gaster’s lab faded into their view. They sighed deeply. _That was the dream_ , Chara thought with dread. They went to move. They grunted as the pain in their left leg reawakened. Freshly broken and set. Chara could do nothing but look around and listen.

Familiar noises came from the door. Sounds of tools being put away with other tools. Chara blinked. They remembered those noises from the end of their dream. From the corner of their eye, they saw the panel move slightly but soon be held in place. Chara paused. The panel was whole again. No hole from their kick. No damage from the intruder. The door had already been replaced. Chara remembered Alphys’s words from yesterday; _Honestly, the door change might wake you up_. Chara tensed. If the door was being replaced, who was replacing it? Was it Gaster? Alphys? Or someone else? Chara was curious, but the answer partially scared them.  
A voice sighed in relief on the other side of the door, “Done. Thank goodnessss I didn’t wake the human.”  
Chara recognized this voice; the one who installed the latch lock before. Chara narrowed their eyes. What was their name? Chara questioned aloud, “Who are you?”  
The monster on the other side paused. He sighed, “Oh. I woke you after all. I’m ssorry.”  
On the other side of the door, the sound of tools being moved and put away echoed. Chara repeated themselves, “And, who are you?”  
The voice turned friendly, “Oh! Ssorry. I’m Sserol. I wass here before to insstall the latch lock.”  
“And now you are reinstalling the door and locks.”  
“Yess. The door wass more damaged than I heard. But… thankfully only the door wass damaged and not you.”

Chara huffed, “I have been hurt almost every day I have been in this prison.”  
Serol went silent for a moment. His tone lowered to a small shock, “What? What do you mean?”  
Chara rolled their eyes and replied dryly, “I am not surprised he wouldn’t tell anyone. He has beaten me multiple times, both physically and psychologically. In fact, this past night he broke my leg.”  
The shock in Serol’s tone grew, “Why would he do that?!”  
Chara replied darkly, “To break me.”  
Serol went quiet again. He then spoke in disbelief, “No. I have to ssee this before I can believe it.”  
Chara shrugged and spoke in a blasé tone, “Only Alphys and my torturer have keys.”  
Serol paused. Chara heard him stand. He spoke, “I will be back.”

Chara heard him leave. Silence pervaded for what seemed like an hour. Chara felt themselves drift in and out of consciousness in the meantime. They heard a strange noise. They focused on it. It almost sounded as though wheels drifted across the linoleum tiles. Alphys’s familiar knock echoed on the door. She spoke gently, “Chara? Is it okay if Serol comes in with me?”  
Chara replied evenly, “I do not mind.”  
The locks clicked open in succession. The door opened fully. The first thing to enter the room was a simple wheelchair. It had dark, durable cloth-like material as the back and seat. It had pushed armrests and a long footrest with support for the back of the knees. On the wheelchair was a new icepack and a cloth. Alphys pushed this wheelchair in. Serol followed into the room behind her. Alphys spoke, “I found one. The wheels are a bit stiff but other than that it’s fine.”

Alphys turned on the light switch. She laughed nervously, “I would have come with breakfast, but… Serol asked to see you.”  
Serol lowered his head and turned his attention to the foot of Chara’s bed. He spoke kindly, “You… mentioned that Dr. Gasster broke your leg. Alphyssssaid you told the truth. May I ssee it?”  
Chara gave a silent nod to Alphys. Alphys approached Chara’s bedside. She was slow and careful to remove the bedsheet. Serol’s eyes widened as Chara’s left leg was unveiled. Despite the ice, the leg swelled tight against the poles of Chara’s splint. Alphys sighed, “I knew it was going to swell more, but I didn’t think it would be this bad.”  
Alphys gently placed the cloth over Chara’s splint before she placed the icepack on top of it. Chara gritted at first, but sighed in relief immediately after. Alphys smiled as she spoke, “Okay. It’s working again. Did you want to sit up? Or maybe try the wheelchair?”  
Serol peeked over Alphys by bending his neck over her. He gritted, “It lookss painful. But… I musst admit, the fact I do not ssmell an overwhelming amount of blood meanss that the break was sskillfully done. Enough to jusst break the bone but not the sskin.”  
He frowned and lowered his tone in disappointment, “I… did not want to believe it wass becausse of Dr. Gasster, but he iss the only monsster allowed near here that iss capable of ssuch sskill.”

Chara replied with a small sorrow, “And he will continue to torture me. There is nothing I can do about it.”Alphys slowly petted Chara’s head. She shushed Chara gently, “It’s okay, Chara. I will do the best I can to prevent more.”  
Serol pulled his head back. He gave Alphys an inquisitive tone, “Iss it… always like thiss?”  
Alphys gave Serol a nod. She replied sorrowfully, “Every once in a while, I’ve seen new scars and wounds on Chara. Things have died down in frequency… but this… this is the worst injury he’s caused. Other than… the emotional trauma of… seeing the Dreemurrs die.”  
Serol hugged himself. He replied quietly, “I… I didn’t know.”  
“You wouldn’t have. As far as I know, if he’s ever questioned about Chara, he speaks vaguely.”  
Serol nodded. “Yess. He sspoke of ssome misssbehavior of the human.”  
Chara shot a glare. “All I did was try to escape his torture. Does that warrant breaking a leg?”  
Serol’s expression and tone dropped to nervousness, “Well… not really… but keeping you ssafe iss a neccessssity. I can undersstand him trying to contain you… but thisss… thisss would break you.”  
“Exactly.” Chara’s voice turned sorrowful, “and… he has succeeded. He has broken every part he could break. Body. Mind. Soul. And yet he will look to break more.”  
Chara’s voice began to crack, “He won’t stop until I will only breathe if he commands.”  
A few tears peeked from Alphys’s eyes. She kneeled at Chara’s bedside as she gently held Chara’s cheek. Chara’s expression worsened. Tears flowed from Chara and they began to sob quietly. Alphys frowned as she spoke with concern, “Chara… do you really think that?”

Chara nodded as they continued to sob. Alphys signed and turned toward Serol. She spoke gently, “Serol… I think it’s time for you to go. Thank you for installing the new door… but I need to focus on Chara.”  
Serol nodded. They spoke evenly, “I undersstand. Take care. Both of you.”  
Serol silently walked out of the room. After a few paces, he reclaimed his tools and walked out of the lab.


End file.
